Broom, Brush & Mop July/August 2015 by Rankin Publishing

July/August 2015

Broom, Brush & Mop Magazine

SERVING THE INDUSTRY SINCE 1912

Business Stable For Fibers & Filaments Reports From:

DuPont Filaments PelRay International PMM Brush Fibers Monahan Filaments Carolina Filaments Hahl Inc. Distribuidora Perfect R.E. Caddy

Wire Sales Steady To Good Stainless Steel Products R.E. Caddy WCJ Pilgrim Wire

Imports/Exports Imports, Exports Up For First Quarter Of 2015

BBM Exclusive Reports On: Fibers & Filaments Wire

“We are still using the ZAHORANSKY machines that were purchased more than 30 years ago. They are simply indestructible. Although the machines are continuously being further developed, adapting them to match our increasing requirements is quite simple. This is a big relief for us as manufacturers of the OEM products as well as for our own brands Victory® and Arrow®, targeting the Asian market.” Kit Tae, The First Thai Brush Co., Ltd., Thailand

www.zahoransky.com

Broom, Brush & Mop

A RANKIN PUBLISHING PUBLICATION

JULY/AUGUST 2015 | Volume 105, Number 4

Features

Magazine

Associations

Business Stable For Fibers & Filaments ______________6 Wire Sales Steady To Good, Say Suppliers ____________________18

AMERICAN BRUSH MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

AMERICAN HARDWARE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

736 Main Ave., Suite 7, Durango, CO 81301 • (720) 392-2262

FEIBP EUROPEAN BRUSH FEDERATION

801 North Plaza Drive, Schaumburg, IL 60173-4977 • (847) 605-1025

INTERNATIONAL SANITARY SUPPLY ASSOCIATION

P.O. Box 90154, 5000 LG Tilburg, The Netherlands • 00 31 13 5944 678

INTERNATIONAL HOUSEWARES ASSOCIATION

7373 N. Lincoln Avenue, Lincolnwood, IL 60646-1799 • (847) 982-0800

New Schaefer Brush Owners Investing In New Equipment, Product Innovation & Personnel Development _____________24 Industry News _______________________26 Raw Material Report __________________42

6400 Shafer Court, Suite 650, Rosemont, IL 60018 • (847) 292-4200

Staff

CO-PUBLISHERS Don Rankin drankin@consolidated.net

Linda Rankin lrankin@consolidated.net

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Rick Mullen rankinmag@consolidated.net GRAPHICS/PRODUCTION David Opdyke Andrew Webb

Imports/ Exports

EDITOR Harrell Kerkhoff rankinmag@consolidated.net

Imports, Exports Up For First Quarter Of 2015 _____________34

Rankin Publishing, Inc.

March 2015 Import & Export Statistics _____________36

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RECEPTION Misty Douglas

Index Of Advertisers ABMA ....................................................43 American Select Tubing ...........................31 Bodam Intl. LTD .........................Back Cover Caddy & Co., Inc., R.E. ...........................28 Carolina Filaments/Filkemp ..................Cover Deco Products Co. ..................................23 Distribuidora Perfect, S.A. .......................17 DKSH ....................................................11 DuPont Filaments .....................................7 Garelick .................................................25 Gordon Brush Mfg. Co. Inc. .....................33 Shanghai Jiasheng Products.....................22 PG 4

Jones Companies ......................................9 Loos & Co. .............................................21 Monahan Filaments .................................13 Monahan Partners ...................................16 PelRay International ..................................2 PMM .....................................................10 Royal Paint Roller ...................................32 St. Nick Brush........................................15 Stainless Steel Products ..........................19 Vonco ....................................................29 Wolf Filaments..........................................5 Zahoransky ...............................................3 BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

By Harrell Kerkhoff | Broom, Brush & Mop Editor

Today’s demand for natural and synthetic fibers/filaments remains steady as a wide variety of brushes, mops and brooms continue to be produced domestically as well as abroad. Broom, Brush & Mop Magazine recently interviewed several suppliers/manufacturers of fibers and filaments to learn how their businesses have fared thus far in 2015 as well as projections for the future.

DuPont Filaments

eporting on continued stability for various types of synthetic filaments used in brush production was DuPont Filaments Marketing & Sales Director Tom Vichich. “I’m very optimistic. Business has been steady. The continued demand globally for paintbrush filament remains a bright spot for our company, and demand for fine filaments and abrasives has also been good. All of the filament markets that we are involved with have shown some kind of growth from 2014 to 2015,” Vichich said. “It’s important we remain focused on quality, service and delivery.” DuPont Filaments manufactures various types of nylon and polyester products. Its nylon filaments go by the trade names Tynex® and Chinex®, while the company’s polyester filaments can be found under the Orel® and Natrafil® trade names, all depending on the industry and business segment. “We provide synthetic filaments for toothbrushes as well as cosmetic brushes — mainly nail, mascara and blush,” Vichich said. “Meanwhile, our abrasive filaments are used for industrial applications such as deburring and polishing. And, of course, DuPont offers a full line of paintbrush filaments. “Demand has been steady across the board. We continue to expand our product offering, such as with abrasive filaments that now include PG 6

ceramic grit materials. In addition, there is a focus on meeting the needs of the anti-microbial toothbrush market with the Tynex® StaClean™filament from DuPont. We continue to look at ways to incrementally improve our products.” Customer service is another important objective. Since DuPont Filaments is a global company, Vichich said it’s important that company representatives maintain a local presence in all of the world’s major markets. Tom Vichich “We have people in place all over the world who take orders and interact with customers. They also provide technical help,” he said. “DuPont Filaments has operations and customer service centers established in Europe, India, China and the United States, with additional services found in South America.” Among the current challenges Vichich reported were exchange rate fluctuations that occur between countries, and properly understanding how increased levels of manufacturing in the United States from “reshoring” influence the supply and demand of raw materials. “We continue to monitor exchange closely,” he said. “With reshoring, it’s something we must be aware of in order to keep a good supply of BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

raw material on hand for customers. There could be problems, for example, if a company starts to manufacture in the United States again, and we are holding all of its raw materials in Europe or Asia.” Despite such challenges, Vichich is optimistic about the various industries that involve DuPont Filaments. “I continue to see less consolidation taking place among manufacturers in the brush industry. There is also a lot of stability right now with filament suppliers,” he said. “I feel this stability in our marketplace will continue for the near term.” Contact: DuPont Filaments - Americas, LLC, Washington Works Plant, 8480 DuPont Road, Bldg. 158, Washington, WV 26181. Phone: 1-800-635-9695. Website: www.dupont.com/filaments.

PelRay International

he supply of natural fiber broom corn, tampico, yucca and palmyra remains relatively stable despite various challenges that remain present in today’s marketplace, according to PelRay International Senior Sales Associate David McGee. “Among the products we sell are broom corn and yucca fiber for broom production, and tampico fiber often found in brushes. Most of these materials come from Mexico,” McGee said. “PelRay International also imports and sells palmyra fiber from India, used to make various types of brooms and brushes. “We provide both natural and dyed tampico fiber, along with a union fiber mix consisting of tampico and palmyra. With palmyra, we also sell stalks and oiled fiber.” PelRay International imports plastic filament as well — such as PVC and polypropylene — used in many types of cleaning-related products. According to McGee, a popular plastic filament the company supplies is gray double-flagged PVC. “We keep the popular lengths that customers seem to run out of the most, and we can bundle PVC fiber with other items to save customers money when ordering,” McGee said. Other products in the stick goods cleaning arena that PelRay International supplies are upright brooms produced in Mexico, as well as domestic southern yellow pine handles that help customers meet “Made in the USA” standards. Although its name has changed since the company’s beginning, PelRay International, located in San Antonio, TX, has a history that spans 100-plus years. It has evolved from a broom corn trading company into a full-line natural and synthetic fiber/filament supplier. Despite this transformation, broom corn still remains an important part of the company’s business. Reporting on the latest Mexican broom corn developments, McGee said a fair amount of carry-over inventory is still available from last year’s crop. “We are not finding any negative issues right now when it comes to getting enough broom corn for customers. The harvest for the new crop, grown in the Torreon region of northern Mexico, has started (in July). However, due to ongoing security issues in Mexico, nobody really knows for sure how much broom corn to expect from the harvest,” McGee said. The Torreon area of Mexico is still dangerous for travel due to kidnappings and other acts of violence, he added. “We receive information from our longtime contacts/friends in Mexico about ongoing security issues. There are times when they will tell us not to come due to new dangers,” McGee said. “There are still security problems, especially in northern Mexican and along the country’s west coast. This makes it hard to prognosticate when it comes to broom corn planting and production.” A shorter-term challenge for suppliers and consumers of Mexican broom corn involves the above normal rainfall that has taken place in PG 8

the main growing region during this harvest season. Normally, extra rain is welcome in arid northern Mexico, but added moisture during the harvest can cause damage. “Flooded fields can kill broom corn plants. Also, staining can take place if the broom corn becomes wet during the drying process,” McGee said. “It can mean a good batch of broom corn being downgraded from No. 1 quality to as far down as No. 3, depending on the moisture level.” Despite these challenges, McGee said that due to the small size of today’s U.S. market for broom corn, there should still be plenty of product to go around for much of 2015. “I don’t anticipate any shortages of broom corn for U.S. consumers. We will probably know more about the size of the first Torreon crop by the end of July or first part of August,” he said. “There remains just a small U.S. market for broom corn today compared to the past. The bulk of broom corn from Mexico is consumed by Mexican broom factories. Most of them have contracts in place for the Mexican crop. We (PelRay International) buy broom corn on the open market. “Years ago, U.S. companies would purchase a tremendous amount of broom corn. It was the main business for our company when I started working at PelRay International almost 30 years ago.We had two or three warehouses full of broom corn. This involved thousands of bales. Now, we usually have 400 to 500 bales in stock.” Like broom corn, most yucca fiber used in broom production is processed in Mexico. McGee said there remains plenty of yucca fiber available for U.S. broom makers. “In fact, I’ve been receiving calls from yucca fiber processors looking for orders. The prices are pretty stable. I think there is more supply right now for yucca fiber than demand. That is even taking into consideration the demand placed by Mexican broom makers,” McGee said. “The quality of the yucca fiber has also been good as of late.” One natural fiber from Mexico that has been harder to import during the David McGee past few years is tampico. There are a number of reasons behind this shortage, although signs of improvement are taking place. McGee, in providing an updated tampico report, said the market has stabilized since last year, while prices are still relatively high. “The price of tampico increased just a few weeks ago,” McGee said on July 2. “It was not a big increase, 5 cents a pound. The good news is that the availability of processed tampico is better. There are not quite the problems in place compared to this time last year, but backlogs are still long. Right now, our tampico factory is trying to add capacity. This will hopefully improve availability. “There is not a lot of tampico raw material available right now. As long as this trend continues, we are not going to see major price declines.” He added that unusually wet and cloudy weather in the processing areas of Mexico has caused a shortage of dyed tampico. “There have just not been enough sunny days for processing dyed tampico. This has hurt supply. We have looked at installing a drying system that would include forced air heat at our processing location to help the situation,” McGee said. There are no shortages to report for palmyra fiber imported from India, he added, although lead times can be longer for certain lengths. Different forms of imported palmyra fiber are used in the production of brooms and brushes, McGee shared. One form consists of stalks coming from a particular palm tree leaf. These stalks are cut to length and come as long as 18 inches. Another popular size is 16-inch stalks. There is also an extra fine stalk imported from the same type of leaf. Palmyra is often used as “insides” for upright corn brooms. The fiber adds stiffness to those brooms designed to sweep heavy material, such BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

as gravel from a road/driveway and snow from a patio or railroad switch. “Palmyra is also quite popular when making scrub and acid brushes. These products often must withstand very hot water and/or chemicals that can have a negative influence on PVC, polypropylene and nylon fiber,” McGee said. “Tampico and palmyra have some similar characteristics, although tampico is a finer fiber. You wouldn’t want to scrub your skin with a palmyra brush, but soft tampico is used to make some bath brushes, etc. It’s often gentler.” When asked about the state of overall business at PelRay International, McGee said it has been holding its own compared to 2014. He noted, however, that the U.S. economy is still sluggish in many areas, which is holding back some business. “Even though the country has substantially recovered from the lows found in 2009, I would still call the U.S. economy, as a whole, ‘lackluster,’” McGee said. “However, I think the cleaning industry probably does better during down cycles than a lot of other areas of business. People still need to clean, even when times are tough. “We continue to take pride in providing quality service all the way through — not just when trying to make the initial sale. This involves keeping customers informed during the entire sales and delivery process,” McGee added. “We want these customers to be aware of any problems that may develop. This helps them get around potential obstacles.” Despite challenges that are always present in business, McGee remains optimistic about the future of the markets that PelRay International serves. He added that PelRay is working to increase sales in the Canadian market. “This is an innovative industry that makes products that are vital for many people. It’s very important for health reasons to maintain a clean environment. Products — such as brooms, brushes and mops — help in this process,” McGee said. “Therefore, I think the future is bright for any company involved in this line of work.” He added that natural fibers are also environmentally friendly. “They biodegrade after use and go back into the ecosystem,” McGee said. “This is important for many customers and end-users.”

Contact: PelRay International, LLC, 4511 Macro Dr., San Antonio, TX 78218. Phone: 210-757-4640. Web site: www.pelray.com.

PMM

pecializing in the production of synthetic-engineered plastic monofilaments is PMM (Proveedora Mexicana de Monofilamentos), located in Mexico City, Mexico. These products are made of nylons (nylon 6.12, nylon 6.6, nylon 6 plus and nylon 6), polyester PBT, polyethylene and polypropylene. They are available in a wide range of calipers, profiles and colors. “Our nylon filaments are particularly in high demand right now. Overall, business at PMM has been very good and keeping us busy. It’s even been more than we had expected,” PMM Sales Manager Dennise Silva said. The company’s materials are mainly used for toothbrushes, interdental and cosmetic brushes and for industrial brush applications. Silva said the company’s product line continues to grow and develop. This is due, in part, to the flexibility of PMM representatives as they adapt to customers’ new specifications. She added that PMM has a specific sales policy in place that enhances its operation. “Punctual deliveries and strong service are key factors to our success,” she said. “Even though PMM was founded in 1976, the company is full of young people. They bring new ideas and have helped us evolve into an innovative and creativity center. Included is an impeccable sense of quality and an international perspective. “The combination of quality products, good service and fair prices has helped PPM prosper. We are also in the process of increasing the company’s production capacity.”

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The PMM Customer Service team includes, left to right, Dennise Silva, Enrique Mejía and Nora Bravo. Pictured below is sales team member Icela Muciño.

A key element in PMM’s corporate culture, Silva added, is the drive for joint achievement with customers. “This is the ‘secret ingredient’ that transforms good into outstanding,” she said. “PMM has demonstrated to our customers that they can trust us. We are here to help with their R&D projects, and to support them everyday with a smile, consistent service and the quality of our products.” In general, the U.S. market that PMM serves is having a great year, according to Silva. “Many U.S. companies involved in the different industries we serve (toothbrush, cosmetic brushes and industrial brushes) are growing and adding products to their catalogues,” she said. “In response, PMM remains focused on providing shorter lead times and helping customers with their new product development.” Contact: Proveedora Mexicana de Monofilamentos (PMM) at the company’s toll free line for the United States and Canada: 1-877-202-9320. E-mail: pmm@pmm-mex.com. Website: www.pmmbrightline.com.

Brush Fibers, Inc.

roviding natural fibers for brush and broom production continues to be the main focus for Brush Fibers, Inc., an Arcola, IL-based supplier of tampico, palmyra, sherbro, coco, arenga, bassine, rice root, hog bristle and horsehair. Brush Fibers also supplies foam and solid plastic brush blocks as well as stapling wire. The company has multiple warehousing facilities in North America and a centralized headquarters in Arcola, which is located in Central Illinois. In addition, Brush Fibers has its own fleet of trucks and can combine orders with sister company Monahan Filaments (also located in Arcola) to reduce shipping costs for customers. “We provide one-stop shopping opportunities with both companies. Brush Fibers supplies all natural fibers, stapling wire and brush blocks, while Monahan Filaments produces synthetic filaments,” Brush Fibers President Chris Monahan said. “In the past, Brush Fibers also offered polypropylene, polystyrene, PVC and PET synthetic filaments. These PG 12

items are now supplied by Monahan Filaments. “Warehouse space has been increased for both Brush Fibers and Monahan Filaments in Arcola to better hold blanket orders. Extrusion is a continuous process, so the lowest pricing and costs come from larger volumes. We are able to pass along these savings to customers, and give them the ability to place larger blanket orders that we’ll hold domestically for release.” Monahan added that this helps customers better compete against foreign competition. Brush Fibers’ product lineup includes hog bristle. The company is the exclusive North American distributor of this bristle for DKSH Brush & Apparel Ltd., of Zurich, Switzerland. “Hog bristle is mainly used to make paintbrushes and some specialty items. We have a warehouse in New Jersey for this bristle,” Monahan said. “Hog bristle fits in well with Brush Fibers’ current lineup, and DKSH has decades of experience sourcing bristle from the very best facilities in China.” The various natural fiber materials provided by Brush Fibers are used to make brush and broom products found in different markets, such as retail, household, janitorial/sanitary and industrial. These products include angle and push brooms as well as car wash and industrial brushes. “Business at Brush Fibers has been steady. Natural fibers is a mature market, however, and under pressure from imported finished brushes,” Monahan said. “One particular challenge right now is with the supply of tampico fiber. There is not enough supply to meet demand. This is a global issue, but we are starting to see improvement.” Monahan added that “recycling” and “green” continue to be important buzzwords among many customers. Brush Fibers helps satisfy those seeking environmentally friendly products through its supply of various types of natural fibers and recycled materials. Natural fibers are considered a renewable resource, while synthetic PET, which is now provided by Monahan Filaments, can be made from recycled plastic bottles. Along with satisfying greater demands for environmentally friendly products, officials at Brush Fibers also remain committed to customer service. “A consistent policy of efficiently shipping products within 24 hours, and keeping a large stock of inventory at Chris Monahan competitive prices, provides many opportunities at our company,” Monahan explained. “Customers appreciate this effort, which includes our ability at Brush Fibers to place quite a few different orders in one shipment to save on freight costs. Customers are also able to call us anytime with questions or service needs. We quickly work to solve problems.” As a domestic fiber supplier, Monahan said he sees encouraging signs taking place within the industry. This is partly due to certain U.S. manufacturers focusing more on purchasing raw materials “at home.” “The gap between the United States and overseas is getting smaller,” Monahan said. “I feel the U.S. business climate is improving. “There continue to be challenges, such as finished brushes arriving in the United States from overseas, but hopefully brighter days are ahead for everybody. The growth of our company mostly tracks the U.S. brush manufacturing industry. U.S. brush companies seem to be more than holding their own against foreign competition, and the economy is improving. ‘Made in the USA’ is popular again.” Contact: Brush Fibers, Inc., 202 N. Oak St., Arcola, IL 61910. Phone: 217-268-3012. E-mail: chris@brushfibers.com. Website: www.brushfibers.com.

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Monahan Filaments

lso experiencing solid demand over a broad spectrum of markets is Monahan Filaments, of Arcola, IL, according to Chris Monahan, who serves as director of sales & marketing for the synthetic filament producer. Among the items provided by Monahan Filaments are nylon 6, nylon 6.6, nylon 6.12, PBT, PET, PPS, polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene. These products are used in brush and non-brush applications for industrial, oral care, construction, foodservice, paint, agricultural, automotive, janitorial and cosmetic markets. “Our sales efforts are backed by solid customer service and quality assurance departments, as well as a strong production workforce in Arcola,” Monahan said. Monahan Filaments began operations in 2007 with the acquisition of assets from Specialty Filaments, of Middlebury, VT. The Middlebury plant was closed in November 2009, and now the complete focus is on operations in Arcola with cooperation from partners in Canada and Asia. Like its sister company Brush Fibers, customers of Monahan Filaments can benefit from one-stop shopping and combined shipping opportunities that are available from the two Arcola-based businesses. “Combining orders is very beneficial. This can further save on freight costs, which continues to be important,” Monahan said. “We also have made great strides at the Monahan Filaments’ production facility in Arcola. Production officials here continually keep a close eye on quality control.” Officials at Monahan Filaments are also looking at increased recycling avenues. For instance, the company regrinds its own product waste. Meanwhile, such filaments as PET are made from recycled plastic bottles. “We all benefit from improved U.S. recycling rates. This can open more avenues of growth for a company such as ours,” Monahan said. “Of course, at the end of the day, especially at the retail level, a lot of business is driven by price. This is especially true in the very competitive high volume world. “Overall, it’s been a good year thus far for both Brush Fibers and Monahan Filaments. There have been upswings for both companies compared to year-to-date figures from 2014. We see a continued shift to more U.S. manufacturing, and a general improvement in the economy.” Looking ahead, Monahan added that the global business community continues to become more connected each year. Various types of global challenges also remain, especially from Europe and Asia. “There does seem to be a greater push by people to do more business in the United States. This is a positive. Monahan Filaments has quick production lead times, especially compared to foreign competition that has to deal with ocean shipping and delays at ports,” Monahan said. “It’s important that we, at Brush Fibers and Monahan Filaments, continue to watch our levels of production, product quality and customer service. “Additionally, we have been successful in helping our customers manage their own filament inventories. It helps that there is an excellent workforce available in Arcola, one that shows true Midwestern values and work ethic. As a company, Monahan Filaments has become very experienced and knowledgeable in the past few years since the business was moved to Arcola. We pride ourselves on being the largest domestic brush filament extrusion manufacturer and look to continue growing within the industry and with our customers.” Contact: Monahan Filaments, LLC, 215 Egyptian Trail, Arcola, IL 61910. Toll free: 888-833-1097; Phone: 217-268-4957. Email: info@monahanfilaments.com. Website: www.monahanfilaments.com. PG 14

Carolina Filaments

strong first half of 2015 in most business segments was reported by Brian Crawford, who established Carolina Filaments, located in Mt. Pleasant, SC, at the beginning of 2012. Crawford has more than 25 years of experience in the brush industry including filament supply, brush design and manufacturing. “Our goal and mission to offer filament and brushmaking solutions continues. This is done through innovation in materials and methods. As our customer base continues to grow, so has Carolina Filaments,” Crawford said. Working with strategic partners from around the world, Carolina Filaments offers nylon 6, 6.6, 6.10, and 6.12, PBT, PET and polyester, along with PP, PS, SAN and other thermoplastic filaments. Crawford said a growing area of the business can be found in the abrasive nylon filament segment that features synthetic and natural aggregates. “We are especially proud of our partnership with Filkemp, an innovative industry leader in abrasive filaments. From Portugal, Filkemp produces and ships to customers worldwide,” he said. “Carolina Filaments maintains an extensive abrasive nylon stocking program, where an amount from one carton to full pallets can be shipped the same day.” By supplying a diverse range of customers, the company’s filaments find their way into conventional as Brian Crawford well as new and emerging markets, according to Crawford. “The latter presents challenges, and often requires innovation and thinking ‘outside the box’ so we can offer customer solutions,” he said. “Our challenges mirror those of our customers in the industry — to remain competitive and develop solutions to meet different end-user requirements. “The future of the American brush industry is bright. We are proud to be part of this future, and to contribute to the success of our customers.”

Contact: Carolina Filaments, LLC, 2150 Cheswick Lane, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29466. Phone: 888-738-5520. Email: brian@carolinafilaments.com. Website: www.carolinafilaments.com.

Hahl Inc.

privately-held company, Hahl-Pedex Inc., features three manufacturing facilities. This includes Hahl Inc., located in Columbia, SC; and Hahl-Pedex, with two plants in Europe, located in Munderkingen and Affalterbach, Germany. All three locations produce for the brush industry the following products: synthetic bristle, nylon (6, 6.6, 6.10, 6.12), polyester (PBT and PET), PEEK, PPS, polypropylene; and abrasive fiber Abrafil (nylon 6.12) and Hahlbrasif (nylon 6) with grit fillers AO, SC, ceramic and diamond. “We, at Hahl-Pedex, are always looking for ways to expand our business through product innovation, custom stock programs and competitive pricing,” Hahl Sales Manager for North America Terry Hogan BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

said. “We are continuing to grow, and are focused on developing products that meet different market requirements. This strategy has helped the Hahl Group become a leader in technical/industrial applications for bristle and abrasive products around the world. “Our products are used for many applications in the brush market. These brushes are predominantly found within the technical brush segment, dental brush segment as well as the professional cleaning market. Our company Terry Hogan carries products that meet the challenges found in a wide range of application requirements.” These requirements include high heat, anti-static, conductivity, metal detectable, and hot/wet/alkaline properties; solvent resistance; and deburring, finishing and polishing capabilities. In 2015, Hahl-Pedex introduced its Multi-Fil product line, which creates an opportunity for brush manufacturers to improve cleaning with “wide-face” brushes and new applications. This new line includes bristle variations of abrasive, Bilon and multifilament products. The HahlPedex product can be custom-formulated to meet customer requirements. “These are just a few of the solutions that we can provide for brush applications,” Hogan said. He added that Hahl Inc., meets many customer needs with a generic list of stock items. For individual orders from this stock program, the company can sell as little as one box (50 pounds) or an entire stock quantity (up to 2,000 pounds). “In addition to our generic stock items, Hahl Inc., manages many custom stock programs for individual customers. This enables our company

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to offer shorter lead times and improve manufacturing efficiencies,” Hogan said. “Our customers are then able to better meet the delivery requirements of their own customers, without increasing the value of raw materials.” According to Hogan, the primary markets for Hahl Inc., are commercial, industrial and technical in nature. “These markets have been very busy thus far in 2015 for our business,” Hogan said. “As always, product quality, service and price will remain the most important requirements for Hahl Inc., in 2015 and the future.”

Contact: Hahl Inc., 126 Glassmaster Rd., Columbia, SC 29072. Phone: 803-359-0706. E-mail: customerservice@hahl-pedex.com. Website: www.hahl-pedex.com.

Distribuidora Perfect

ibers and filaments needed for the production of various types of brushes and brooms come in numerous forms, many of which are supplied by Distribuidora Perfect, S.A. de C.V., of Mexico. Along with natural fiber tampico and palmyra, the company continues to provide such fiber/filament materials as polypropylene, rice root (Zacatón), horsehair, and union fiber. Also available are various types of fiber that are bleached or colored. Distribuidora Perfect was founded in 1946 as a brush maker for the Mexican market. It remains a specialist in producing such products as paintbrushes, paint rollers, power brushes and scrub brushes. The company began processing tampico fiber, which is grown in Mexico, ap-

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proximately 33 years ago, and started selling the material to other companies 14 years ago. Today, Distribuidora Perfect supplies both natural color and dyed tampico. The company can also combine this fiber with other materials such as palmyra, bassine, rice root and polypropylene. Distribuidora Perfect’s Jorge Samuel Ripstein, owner of the company, feels tampico fiber possesses several essential qualities. This inJorge Ripstein cludes having a “good memory,” meaning the fiber will bounce back to its original shape after being bent. Other benefits include a long life, good absorption and abrasive features, and being able to withstand high temperatures. “We have seen solid demand for tampico fiber, rice root and union fiber. I feel this is because of the high level of quality that is present with these materials,” Ripstein said. Distribuidora Perfect’s various fiber/filament offerings can be found in brushes that are designed for a variety of uses such as polishing, washing, scrubbing, water proofing, painting and other chores. Ripstein added that Distribuidora Perfect has been busy thus far in 2015 due to the various products it supplies. Company representatives also continue to work on delivering shorter lead times along with quality customer service. This includes attending trade shows, visiting clients and providing samples. “We spend a lot of time talking with clients and checking on their needs,” he said. “It’s also important for us to use new machinery and technology as well as expand our product offering. For example, we now supply wood blocks for a global marketplace.” These blocks can be stapled with natural fiber including tampico.

“It’s our goal to supply wood blocks to manufacturers around the world. We see many opportunities to reach markets in different continents,” Ripstein said. He added that by offering different and new products, Distribuidora Perfect will continue to benefit from a healthy list of customers. “I feel the future is very good for all natural fibers, in particular, since the world has placed a greater awareness on the environment,” Ripstein said. These type of fibers, he added, naturally decompose over time once their productive lives are finished. Despite current challenges found in certain parts of the world, Ripstein remains optimistic about the future. “Part of this optimism is due to the large amount of fiber/filament material currently available in Mexico. This allows us to extend our market reach,” he said.

Contact: Fabrica de Brochas Perfect SA de CV, Calle Cuatro # 32 Fracc Ind Alce Blanco Naucalpan Estado de México, C.P 53370 México. Phone: 5255 55762444 Ext. 514. E-mail: rrk@brochasperfect.com.mx. Websites: www.brochasperfect.com.mx, www.perfectfiber.com.mx.

R.E. Caddy & Co.

upply and demand of broom corn, yucca fiber and palmyra stalks in the United States have remained steady for the first half of 2015, according to R.E. Caddy & Co., President Richard Caddy. His company, located in Greensboro, NC, has been a longtime supplier of natural fiber materials for the production of commercial/retail and craft brooms. “Everything has been fairly easy to access. I haven’t had any particular problems with supply. The quality also seems to be fairly decent,” Caddy said. He explained that broom corn, most of which is grown in different regions of Mexico, is used to produce many types of wound, staple-set, nail-set and glue-set brooms. Yucca fiber, which is also imported from Mexico, and palmyra stalks from India, are often used as broom filler material. Palmyra is needed to make certain types of brooms stiffer, such as those designed to sweep gravel, barns or to apply tar on roofs. One challenge for Caddy, as well as other broom corn suppliers, is the ongoing security concerns found in northern Mexico. This area, which is a major producer of broom corn, has been plagued in recent years - Convenient Add-on To Order with drug-related gang violence. This has caused many longtime broom and broom corn professionals to avoid - Order In Any Quantity visiting the area. Available In Blue, Green, Yellow, Red, & Dark Blue “This makes it hard to attain accurate information about the current supply of Mexican broom corn and - Popular Sizes the size of future crops. It’s been an issue for the past couple of years,” Caddy said. Despite this challenge, Caddy said the 2015 supply The f of Mexican broom corn thus far has been good with few O cle exceptions. Mira fiber o “I sometimes have trouble receiving the shorter pat@monahanpartners.com Micr th hurl for those manufacturers that make whisk and 200 N. Oak, Arcola, IL 61910 Clo toy brooms. It can take a little longer to accumulate 217-268-5754 those shorter lengths, but they are available,” he

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BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

Richard Caddy

said. “I haven’t experienced any recent issues concerning the supply of yucca fiber and palmyra.” Caddy remains positive when speaking about the overall level of business at his company during the fist half of 2015. “There is plenty of activity among craft broom makers as well as those U.S. companies that still produce commercial brooms in this country,” he said. “Many of these commercial manufacturers import as well, but a certain level of domestic broom production re-

mains in place.” Along with fiber, officials at R.E. Caddy provide other items to help customers produce various types of brooms — as well as brushes and mops. This includes steel wire, which is used either to wind brooms and mops, or under special applications, to staple-set brushes. Other supplies are nails, either for nail machines or to be used when making brooms by hand; polyethylene sewing twine for stitching brooms; broom knives and a variety of other tools used in the craft broom industry. “Those in the craft trade like a variety of knives, hand sewing needles and all kinds of threads and twines. It’s quite a variety of supplies,” Caddy said. “The bulk of our sales comes from commercial factories, however, so for those customers it’s mostly confined to broom corn, yucca and palmyra fiber, wood handles, steel wire, nails — these are the main components that we supply.” He added that no matter the type of customer, it’s important that R.E. Caddy keeps an adequate inventory of fiber and other supplies. With larger accounts, this means working with customers to anticipate what their demands will be during an upcoming 30- to 90-day period.

BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

“The main idea is to stay in communication with customers, so if somebody needs material we will have it available — either here in Greensboro for direct shipment from our warehouse or from one of our supplier locations,” Caddy said. “I’m optimistic about the future of our customers. They have established businesses in place, while we concentrate on supplying them with the raw materials they need.” Contact: R.E. Caddy & Co., Inc., P.O. Box 14634, Greensboro, NC 27415. Phone: 336-273-3609. Website: www.recaddy.com.

Read back issues of Broom, Brush & Mop from 2009. Visit our archives at broombrushandmop.com.

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so om, Brush & Mop As By Rick Mullen | Bro

ciate Editor

While their respective companies have bounced back from the recent recessionary years, executives from three suppliers of wire products for the cleaning market shared with Broom, Brush & Mop Magazine that sales this past year have been steady to good.

tainless Steel Products, a division of RMR International Co., Inc., of Deer Park, NY, specializes in the sale of wire and valueadded wire products to North and South American manufacturers and distributors. It began as an export company in 1995. In 1996, it quickly evolved into a wire importer and distributor, and began manufacturing wire in 2002. It has been ISO 9001:2008 certified since 2009. SSP has been manufacturing wire to customers’ specifications, while it stocks and distributes products for quick shipments and just-in-time deliveries. “This year, business has slowed a bit,” said SSP President Ralph Rosenbaum. “It should pick up in the second half. The first quarter was OK, but the second quarter was down a little. It is picking up now.” SSP offers high-fatigue resistant wire, including brush fills, staple wire, scratch brush wire, power brush wire, crimped wire, retaining wire, straightened and cut-to-length wire, winding wire, stranded wire and flat wire. The company’s wire products are used in such applications as power brushes, scratch brushes, crimped and crimped wheel brushes, strip brushes and twisted-in-wire brushes. SSP also offers stainless steel and galvanized strip. In addition to the brush industry, SSP also services many other segments, including the manufacturers of cable, custom specialty products, dental products, filters, flexible metal hose, jewelry, medical products, springs, staples, wire for thread and yarn, wire braid and wire cloth. “We have a lot of good orders for crimped filament wire,” Rosenbaum said. “In the past, we had some manufacturing issues with the diameters less than 0.0080 inch, although we were making the larger sizes without PG 18

any issues. We have solved these technical challenges, and now we can deal with the small diameters very well. I am very confident in our entire crimping operation. We have some new machines on line and we are tweaking them to get even more output, as well as making further improvements.” One of the company’s primary raw materials is stainless steel, and to a lesser extent, carbon steel. “Stainless steel prices have dropped off somewhat reRalph Rosenbaum cently,” Rosenbaum said. SSP’s heating element industry customers use a significant amount of

“

Stainless steel prices have dropped off somewhat recently.” — Ralph Rosenbaum, Stainless Steel Products

BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

nickel and nickel chrome wire. “There is a graph on our company’s website, www.stainlesswires.com, that shows 30-day nickel pricing. It updates, on a daily basis, based on the London Metal Exchange,” Rosenbaum said. “According to the graph during the past year, nickel prices, a key element in stainless steel pricing, have come down about 10 percent.” Sales of other more “exotic” alloys have also been helping SSP sales, Rosenbaum said. “We are also getting more involved in selling Bundy tubing. This is a new product line for us,” he said. “We have sold tubing in the past, but we are going to be emphasizing it more. These tubes range in sizes from 3/16 inch to 5/8 inch, and they come in galvanized, or copper plated steel. Bundy tubing is a type of single or double-walled low-carbon welded steel tube.” In addition to adding some new machinery and improving its ability to work with smaller diameters of crimped filament wire, SSP has hired some additional people and added a shift. “We now have an early shift and a late shift,” Rosenbaum said. “It is hard to find people to work the late shift. We need people to get more machines running at the same time.” Another recent program SSP has been emphasizing is its Application Engineering Services™, pulling from the company’s knowledge base and access to resources and metallurgy expertise. “Our Application Engineering Services program is not a money-making thing for us,” Rosenbaum said. “It is a way to add value for existing and new potential customers. In fact, I’m working now with an engineer of one of my larger customers who wants to make it easier for the buyer to figure out what machines use which wire and what the wire specifications should be.” SSP is located on Long Island, NY, which, according to Rosenbaum, is a relatively expensive area in which to live, with high housing costs and high property taxes. As a result, after graduating from high school or college, many young people leave the area to live where it is less expensive. To combat this trend, Rosenbaum is involved in a federally funded program to work with students. “The program is designed to develop the engineering skills of selected students to help build manufacturing on Long Island, and to motivate young people to remain in the area,” Rosenbaum said. The program involves students from eighth grade through the second year of college, Rosenbaum explained. “There are three cities on Long Island that have been identified as being ‘underserved,’” Rosenbaum said. “The three high schools in the underserved communities each can place 30 students in the program. Therefore, there are a total of 90 youths placed in the program each year. “The students attend a summer camp each August. Last August, one of the things they did was build small 3-D printers from a kit, guided by college engineering students. Afterwards, the youngsters visited a company on Long Island that uses 3-D printing for commercial purposes. The company has a huge room for the 3-D printer, which is as big as a small house.” In addition to the federally funded program for students, Rosenbaum is in the process of developing an internship program at SSP, to further advance the effort to retain local talent. Looking ahead, Rosenbaum is optimistic about the future. “I think business, at least for the next few years, will be fine,” he said.

Contact: Stainless Steel Products, 561-T Acorn St., Deer Park, NY 11729. Phone: 631-243-1500. Website: www.stainlesswires.com. E-mail: sales@stainlesswires.com.

upplying wire to companies that wind mops and brooms and staple set brushes, R.E. Caddy & Co., of Greensboro, NC, has been in business for more than a half century. In addition, the company has

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been an exclusive sales representative for Southern Steel & Wire for more than 30 years. Founded by the late Richard Earl “Tip” Caddy Sr. in 1958, R.E. Caddy & Company also supplies processed broom corn, palmyra and yucca fiber; wood broom, brush and mop handles; wet mop hardware and handles; polyethylene broom sewing twine; nails, knives and other supplies. “Business has been good,” R.E. Caddy & Co. President Richard Caddy said. Caddy reported that, unlike last year when he indicated business had been “up and down,” overall business at the company this year has been “steady.” The same is also true for the wire portion of the company’s operation, he added. Among the company’s wire offerings are brush stapling wire and mop winding wire. Brush stapling wire is a galvanized product with some different Richard Caddy characteristics than broom and mop winding wire. It has some slight differences in specifications and tinsel ranges than tin broom wire, with tight diameter tolerances, Caddy explained. For its wire production, R.E. Caddy & Co. keeps a close eye on steel prices and availability. In the recent past, steel prices have been up and down. They seem to have stabilized somewhat the past couple of years, according to Caddy. “We have had no problems getting the products we need to make finished goods,” he said. “Pricing has been steady, and I don’t have any indication that will change.” While Caddy spoke of no major issues, at this time, with the supply of raw materials the company uses, ensuring the quality of raw materials is an important ongoing process. According to Caddy, a durable finish resistant to corrosion is critical with staple setting. Also, for broom and mop manufacturers, tensile strengths on wire used in these products are relatively high compared to brush staple wire. Wire used by broom and mop manufacturers must also have a nice finish because it is visible to the consumer. Caddy also reported that freight costs are tending to “creep up.” “The most dramatic rate increases have been bringing fibers into the

“

We have had no problems getting the products we need to make finished goods. Pricing has been steady, and I don’t have any indication that will change... The most dramatic rate increases have been bringing fibers into the United States out of Mexico. LTL (less than truck load) wire shipping costs haven’t gone up tremendously, so it is not a huge issue.

”

— Richard Caddy, R.E. Caddy & Co.

BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

United States out of Mexico,” Caddy said. “LTL (less than truck load) wire shipping costs haven’t gone up tremendously, so it is not a huge issue.” The recent protracted labor dispute between West Coast dockworkers and their employers, settled in February 2015, had no impact on freight costs for R.E. Caddy & Co., Caddy said. “The impact I noticed was that we had fewer border personnel in Texas to inspect the broom corn we brought in from Mexico,” Caddy said. “That delayed, by several days, getting trucks out of Mexico. That didn’t affect the freight rates, but it impacted how quickly we received shipments.” One of R.E. Caddy & Co.’s foundational principles is an emphasis on communicating with customers to remain current on their operations and needs. This includes knowing what kinds of materials customers use, and the ability to anticipate when a customer is going to need to place an order, according to Caddy. Some customers prefer to place blanket purchase orders. For others, the company maintains a ready inventory to allow for rapid shipping of items to customers — if not the same day. “We have been able to respond to our customers,” Caddy said. “When customers place orders, we are able to deliver quickly. In addition, we haven’t had any quality issues with finished goods. “Customer service remains very important for R.E. Caddy. This includes having the right items in our inventory, as well as making visits to customers’ facilities to be able to forecast what they will need in the future.” While doing business overseas, companies have had to deal with issues such as unpredictable lead times, higher freight costs and less than desired product quality. These, and other factors, have motivated some manufacturers to move part, or all, of their operations back to the United States. This phenomenon is referred to as “reshoring.” “There is some reshoring happening,” Caddy said. “We still sell a reasonable amount of broom and mop wire. I don’t know that reshoring is all that extensive on the mop side of the industry. However, on the broom side, there are companies that have picked up their production here in the United States to supplement what they are bringing in from Mexico. There is no doubt that they import more brooms than they wind; nonetheless, they are still doing a fair amount of business with us. “Labor costs have increased in the Far East, making businesses there more competitive with U.S. companies. Also, benefit packages, freight costs, environmental concerns in China, etc., are raising the costs of the goods.” While there is some reshoring going on, Caddy said expanding R.E. Caddy & Co.’s wire sales to broom and brush manufacturers is difficult, as there are not many new companies entering that marketplace. In addition to offering wire, R.E. Caddy & Company also supplies processed broom corn and other fibers including yucca and palmyra. Nearly all the broom corn imported into the United States comes from Mexico. Ongoing drug wars and violence in the Torreon region of Mexico, the main broom corn growing area of the country, have made it difficult for company officials to visit the area to see first-hand how the broom corn crop is faring. “The availability and pricing (of broom corn) have been pretty steady,” Caddy said. “The frustrating part is we just don’t have accurate information like we used to because it is still very dangerous to travel to Torreon to see what is going on. “This means we are ‘flying blind’ as far as knowing the size of this year’s Mexican broom corn crop. We have had this issue for the past couple of years, where we don’t know ahead of time how much has been planted and available for purchase.” Nonetheless, Caddy said his company is able to meet the needs of people seeking wire related products in the United States. Contact: R.E. Caddy & Co., Inc., P.O. Box 14634, Greensboro, NC 27415. Phone: 336-273-3609. Email: sales@recaddy.com. Website: www.recaddy.com.

BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

CJ Pilgrim Wire, of Glendale, WI, is a manufacturer and distributor of wire used in the manufacturing of brushes, brooms and related products. Offering more than 150 sizes of wire, WCJ, in addition to its headquarters and a warehouse in the Milwaukee metro area, operates facilities throughout North America, in keeping with its commitment to be a close to customers as possible. Facilities in the United States, Canada and Mexico are located in Montreal, QC; Toronto, ON; Vancouver, BC; Shelbyville, KY; Houston, TX; Laredo, TX; Los Angeles, CA; Seattle, WA; and Torreon, Mexico City and Monterey in Mexico. In addition, WCJ Worldwide, The Wire Specialists, a Division of WCJ Pilgrim Wire, operates warehouses in Waterford, Ireland; West Yorkshire, The United Kingdom; Radom, Poland; Alicante, Spain; Bogota, Columbia; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lima, Peru; Santiago, Chile; Cairo, Egypt; Shanghai, Tom Hagemann China; and Hong Kong. The company’s sales for the past several years have been steady, reported WCJ Pilgrim Wire Business Development Manager Tom Hagemann. WCJ Pilgrim Wire’s products are designed for all types of brush, broom or mop applications on the market. The company’s offerings include galvanized high and low carbon, stainless steel, nickel silver, brass coated, regular tempered, untempered steel, high fatigue and annealed wires.

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“

Just recently rod prices began to go up. We have received increase notices from several mills, and most of the increases are in the 3 percent area.

”

— Tom Hagemann, WCJ Pilgrim Wire The company packages wire in straight hanks, crimped in hanks, crimped in coils or spools, straight in coils or spools, straight and crimped multi-stranded, and on stems and reels. WCJ also offers stitching and baling wire products, and sells raw materials for applications such as paper clips, industrial clamps, wire cables, clothes pins, bicycle spokes, springs, rivets, welding, weaving and more. “We are branching into offering bailing wire and bail ties,” Hagemann said. “This has been an area of growth for us.” In its wire production, WCJ uses stainless, low carbon and high carbon steel, which it sources from U.S. rod. Some rod material is also sourced overseas. “Just recently rod prices began to go up,” Hagemann said. “We have received increase notices from several mills, and most of the increases are in the 3 percent area. This is something that we fight because pricing is very competitive in the marketplace. We try to be very diligent about where we have to increase and where we don’t have to increase prices.” To help customers become more efficient, WCJ uses a new technology called the Smart Pull Wire System that utilizes 800- and 1,600-size wire spools. By providing large size spools, WCJ helps companies cut down on changeover costs. The system uses a new winding technique, resulting in

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a straighter wire. This means the wire no longer has to be straightened when it goes into a machine. As a result, the machine doesn’t have to pull as hard to use the wire. This cuts down on maintenance costs and reduces parts wear. The system is designed for medium to larger scale operations, according to WCJ. “We have been busy installing the system for people who are transitioning from smaller to larger spools,” Hagemann said. WCJ’s stocking ability and its multiple locations enable it to meet customers’ demands for shorter lead times. “Customers like it when their supplier is in their backyard, versus having to deal with somebody overseas,” Hagemann said. “We have taken a lot of our de-spooling equipment from overseas and brought it back here.” Hagemann explained when people purchase products from overseas, they typically must order large quantities to make it cost effective. This means if a customer receives a large quantity of items and the quality is not there, the company could be stuck with thousands of products it cannot sell. Looking ahead, Hagemann sees opportunities for WCJ to continue to grow sales. “I think opportunities are going to be in more diversification, rather than trying to significantly increase sales on any one of our products,” Hagemann said. “For example, selling bailing wire and bail ties is an opportunity we are expanding upon. It is going to be through paths like this where growth will come. We have to break into some new markets and generate some sales.” Contact: WCJ Pilgrim Wire, 4180 N. Port Washington Road, Glendale, WI 53212. Phone: 414-291-9566. Toll free: 888-672-2503. Website: www.wcjwire.com.

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BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

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hange is in the works at 110-year-old Schaefer Brush Manu- will be honored and carried on.” Current Schaefer Brush President Sheri Reichart will remain in facturing, LLC. It was announced in June that the company will invest in new equipment, product innovation and personnel that position and continue to manage the company’s day-to-day operadevelopment with resources from its new ownership group Blackthorne tions. “Sheri has been with Schaefer Brush since 1968, and is deeply knowlPartners. These investments are expected to bolster the company’s position as edgeable about every aspect of the business and our industry,” Steve a diverse industrial brush manufacturer, based in Waukesha, WI, a city Balistreri, of Blackthorne Partners, said. “We’re pleased that she will remain in her leadership position as the company enters a new era of located on the western edge of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. “Schaefer Brush is internationally known as a premier source for in- growth and innovation.” Reichart said the Blackthorne Partners investment will provide added dustrial brushes, and for its innovation to meet the evolving needs of the brush industry,” said John Syburg, of Brookfield, WI-based Black- resources and guidance to place the company in an even stronger market thorne Partners, which acquired Schaefer Brush effective June 1. “We position. The company will continue to operate independently as Schaeintend to build upon that legacy, and keep Schaefer Brush Manufactur- fer Brush Manufacturing, LLC, from its 60,000-square-foot facility on ing at the forefront of the industrial brush industry for many years to Prairie Avenue in Waukesha. “I feel our future is bright as we continue on a path of innovation come.” Harold Schaefer, the fourth generation of the Schaefer family in- and leadership in the industrial brush industry,” Reichart said. “We volved with the business and the owner since 1991, will retire after more than 50 years with the company. “When I saw how Blackthorne Partners has strengthened other Wisconsin companies, and how it retains the owner/operator culture that keeps those businesses innovative and in the forefront of their industries, I knew my decision to sell to Blackthorne Partners was the right one,” Schaefer said. “I can retire knowing the Schaefer family legacy Schaefer Brush Manufacturing’s facility in Waukesha, Wisconsin. PG 24

BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

are moving ahead with many initiatives that will solidify Schaefer’s position as an innovative leader. This includes aggressive marketing and advertising. I am excited about this new partnership with Blackthorne and our growth plan.” Reichart has held a variety of positions at Schaefer Brush over the past 47 years, starting as a receptionist. She has been involved in customer service, accounting and sales, and was corporate secretary and treasurer for the company. Reichart was named president in 2001. “I even drove one of our company trucks during a short time while a driver recovered from surgery,” Reichart said, with a laugh. “It’s been a wonderful company to work for over the years, and I’m excited about our future opportunities. “Schaefer Brush was never officially on the market, but was often pursued by outside companies and investors. We entertained several suitSheri Reichart ors, and were very impressed by Blackthorne Partners. The company came highly recommended by outside professionals, and did a good job of completing this acquisition. We intend to shortly finalize our 100-day plan.” She noted that the 58 current employees of Schaefer Brush will remain. “Everyone here is service oriented toward both internal and external customers. Our employees go through continuous education and training. This is part of our investment as a company,” Reichart said. “We have a very labor intensive operation in place. Therefore, the need is great to provide new equipment that can help our operators produce products with less effort. It’s all about ‘working smarter, not harder.’” Since its founding in 1905 as a supplier of tank and kettle brushes for the brewing industry, the company has grown to serve a wide range of industries and currently has customers throughout the world. Along with a wide line of standard twisted-in-wire, staple-set and handdrawn brushes, Schaefer Brush Manufacturing offers custom brushes as well as turn-key brushing systems. “We can customize to meet the needs of our customers. This includes the ability to manage their inventory,” Reichart said. “Schaefer Brush also provides a lot of private labeling work as well as referrals. It’s important to support our customers and help them become and remain successful. When they are successful, then we are successful. The goal is always to have a win-win partnership. “I would like to continue to strengthen our custom brush offering. Schaefer Brush sells to several large distributors as well, and that business remains great. These distributors are growing, and we are growing right along with them. “We are always looking to improve our organic growth capabilities, and to acquire other businesses. I feel there will be more opportunities in these areas with Blackthorne Partners.” According to a recent press release, Blackthorne Partners has steadily increased its portfolio of Wisconsin companies over the last few years, and is actively seeking other Midwestern firms to acquire. Its portfolio includes skid steer attachment manufacturer Berlon Industries, glass fireplace door and hearth accessories manufacturer Design Specialties, food processing machinery manufacturer Hughes Equipment Company, SAP information technology consultants Group Basis, pallet manufacturer Pallet USA, and Integrated Medical Partners, which owns a portfolio of health care information technology service businesses. Visit www.blackthornepartners.com and www.schaeferbrush.com for more information.

BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

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Industry News

Boucherie Borghi Group Offers Wide Range Of Household Brush Machines

“From brooms to dish washing brushes, from mops to baby-bottle brushes, from small batches to big volumes, for companies in the household brush market, whatever the manufacturing need, Boucherie Borghi Group has the right solution. “For those companies that switch very often in their production from one type of brush to another, single headers like SPRINT (1 filling tool, 1 drill, 2 clamping stations, 3 or 4 axes) and DMU (1 filling tool, 1 drill, 1 or 2 clamping stations, 5 axes) represent the ideal equipment to minimize change over time,” said the company. Moreover, SPRINT and DMU are recommended for both beginning brush companies that can start manufacturing brushes with a limited investment, as well as established companies. For small production runs, high versatility and medium output, the SCUCNC is a single header 5-axis caroussel machine that will make all kinds of household brushes — from toilet brushes to 24-inch brooms — and can be quickly changed from one to the other because of its “tool-less turret change system.” The SCU is available in a manually loaded version, with or without integrated trimmer, as well as in an automatically loaded version. “Vertical tufting machines are the best compromise between productivity and ease of use and maintenance. The program of double header STAR V2 vertical tufting machines ranges from SMART EVO (2 filling tools, 3 drills, continuous cycle, 4 axes) for the production of brooms and flat brushes, to SMART V2 (2 filling tools, 3 drills, continuous cycle, 4 or 5 axes) suitable for brooms, but also availSTAR R32 able in the 5 axis version for toilet brushes. Also available are the STAR V2 and VCU (2 filling tools, 3 drills, continuous cycle, 5 axes), capable of covering a range of products from banisters to cloth brushes, and from tank brushes to Indian toilet brushes.” When it comes to bigger volumes and higher automation, double header carousel machines are the recommended choice. The range of carousel machines starts with manually fed equipment like SMART R32 (2 filling tools, 2 drills, 3 axes, broom production), STAR R32 and TCU version 1 (2 filling tools, 2 drills, 5 axes, all items), which are the first step into this type of machinery. “They offer maximum tufting efficiency and the highest level of comfort PG 26

for the operator, together with simple manual feeding of the virgin blocks. “For the automation level, SMART/STAR MATIC and TCU version 2 and 3 are an intermediate step, combining automatic feeding of the virgin blocks, 3 stations TCU CNC drilling and tufting cycle, and automatic transfer of the tufted brushes to the finishing station.” Boucherie Borghi representatives said, “The top of the automation level is reached with SMART R2 and TCU version 4, offering automatic feeding and four station drilling, filling and finishing cycle; and TCA, a high-output production cell for dish brushes or other fine brushware, that can be equipped with handle loading from bulk, automatic fiber loading and automated packing options. “Beyond the traditional staple-set and anchor-set brush making machines, AFT machines feature anchorless tufting techAFT CNC nology. This enables brush makers to shape products with new brush designs and cost reductions, saving on block and filling materials and energy consumption.” The Boucherie Borghi Group also offers a complete range of stand-alone trimmers AFT HH for flat, curved and round brushes; and equipment for nontufted items like cotton and nonwoven mops (OCTOPUS series) and twisted-in-wire brushes (AB4 series).

For information: www.boucherie.com and www.borghi.com.

AB4 2 Twist BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

2016 DIRECTORY SUPPLIERS

BROOM, BRUSH & MOP MAGAZINE The following form will be used to compile a company profile to be included in Suppliers 2016, an international suppliers directory that will be read all year long by broom, brush and mop manufacturers. PLEASE FILL OUT AND RETURN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. For convenience, you can submit this form digitally using Adobe Reader®. (Please download the latest version by clicking here.) When completed, click the “SUBMIT” button below to email it to us. You may also print and fill out this form. It can then be mailed or faxed it to us at the information provided at the bottom of this form. If you’ve run out of room for entry or have any questions, please feel free to call or email us. Thank you for your help in making this suppliers directory the most helpful and most comprehensive yet.

COMPANY PROFILE SUBMITTED BY: COMPANY NAME: ADDRESS: CITY:

STATE:

ZIP:

TELEPHONE: EMAIL:

COUNTRY: FAX:

WEBSITE:

COMPANY OFFICERS:

PRODUCTS:

Mill-Rose Holds 55th Annual Golf Outing

Over 65 brush manufacturers and suppliers gathered in Cleveland, OH, recently for the 55th annual Victor F. Miller Golf Tournament. The event was sponsored by The Mill-Rose Company.

Brush manufacturers and suppliers from around the world gathered for the 55th annual Victor F. Miller Golf Tournament, recently held at Shaker Heights Country Club, in Cleveland, OH. Rudy Deligdish, Deligh Industries, won both Low Net and Low Gross categories at the event. Over 65 representatives attended the event, hosted by the Mentor, OHbased The Mill-Rose Company, in honor of the company’s past president,

Supplier of Raw Materials to Manufacture Brooms, Mops, and Brushes • Galvanized & tinned wire for brush - broom - mop production • Processed Broom Corn & Yucca • Wood Broom - Mop - Brush Handles • Craft Broom Corn And Supplies • Other Materials - Broom Twine, Broom Nails, Mop Hardware We ship by pup or truck load direct from Mexico, or LTL/ UPS from our Greensboro warehouse.

P.O. Box 14634 • Greensboro, NC 27415 336-273-3609 800-213-9224 Fax: 336-378-6047 E-mail: sales@recaddy.com PG 28

Victor F. Miller. Manufacturers and suppliers gathered during the week, before the golf outing, to discuss business trends and opportunities. “Brushes manufactured by these companies are used in all types of industry around the world. Applications include makeup/mascara brushes, hair brushes, floor sweeping and polishing brushes, gun cleaning brushes, car wash brushes, copier toner brushes, brooms, paint brushes, and special brushes used in the medical field,” said The Mill-Rose Company. The Mill-Rose Company (www.millrose.com) is a U.S. manufacturer of twisted-in-wire brushes. It is a family-owned organization, now in its third generation.

Atlas Graham Industries And Furgale Industries Announce Merger

James Graham, president and CEO of Atlas Graham Industries, and James Furgale, president of Furgale Industries, have announced the merger of the two companies, both of which are located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. “This is an exciting event for both companies, for our employees and our customers,” according to a joint press release. “Our greatest assets have always been our people, and by joining forces we have made a significant increase in the quality of that asset. “We will forge a new company with enhanced experience and expertise in the cleaning industry. This merger will create a more streamlined infrastructure that will allow for greater manufacturing synergies, and an expanded base of quality products and services for our customers.” The release added that the merger connects two highly compatible manufacturing companies that share a common history and hold similar values and philosophies. “We will continue to conduct our business with an emphasis on service, honesty and integrity,” the release stated. The two companies will operate as one, effective Aug. 31.The new entity will be known as Atlas Graham Furgale (AGF). “Our customers and suppliers can rely on the same personal working relationships they have had in the past. Account managers will have further details in the near future,” according to the release. By the end of 2015, both operations will be in one facility, located at 1725 Sargent Avenue in Winnipeg. BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

Zahoransky Expands International Base

“After inaugurating a new plant in 2013, with a 2,500 m2 production area in Tamil Nadu, Southern India, on May 22, 2015, Zahoransky took the first step for an extension to the 1974 plant in Logroño, the capital of Spain’s La Rioja region. The production area will be enlarged by 2,000 m2, and the administration building by about 600 m2. Investments total 2.5 million euros,” said Zahoransky. In addition to the management board from Germany, the lord mayoress of Logroño, Concepción Gamarra, and the prime minister of La Rioja, Pedro Sanz, attended the official groundbreaking ceremony at the Cantabria Industrial Estate. After completion, which is scheduled for mid-2016, the extension will double the production area to 4,000 m2. “This extension has become necessary to meet the rising worldwide demand for machines in the brush and broom industry,” according to the company. “The city of Logroño, and the region welcome this extension and the importance this industrial project has for the area. Pedro Sanz thanked the enterprise for its commitment and for creating additional high-profile jobs. Once the new building is completed, there are plans to increase the workforce to between 80 and 100 people, more than doubling today’s workforce. “The Zahoransky Group owns six production plants worldwide. With its three business divisions (Machinery & Production, Mold Making and System Technology), Zahoransky is a full-line supplier of brush and broom machines, blister packaging machines, injection molds and across-system automated solutions.” Visit www.zahoransky.com for more information.

Pictured during the ground breaking ceremony for an extension to Zahoransky’s facility in Spain, are left to right, Pedro Sanz, prime minister of La Rioja; Concepción Gamarra, lord mayoress of Logroño; Matthias Schubnell, managing director of Zahoransky Logroño; Luis Angel Jimenez Prolus, construction engineer; Miguel Angel Mendoza, sales manager Zahoransky Logroño; Alfredo Cruz Marqués, ICM engineering bureau; and Maika Samaniego, QODA general contractor.

National Craft Broom Making Competition Again Among Events During 2015 Broom Corn Festival In Arcola, IL

In the mid-1940s, The Thomas Monahan Company, Arcola, IL, sponsored a National Big Broom Contest for the hundreds of U.S. manufacturers of broom corn brooms in existence at the time. The company awarded cash prizes and publicity to the manufacturer that could make the largest broom. Now, Monahan Partners, a spin-off of The Thomas Monahan Company, is sponsoring its fourth annual craft broom contest for the nation’s broom artisans. “There are over 100 craft broom makers in the United States and Monahan Partners hopes that all will submit a broom. A total of $1,000 in prize money will be awarded to the top three finishers: $500 for first place, $300 for second place, and $200 for third place. Broom, Brush & Mop Magazine, published in Arcola, IL, will provide additional publicity to the winners,” said Last year’s participants in the Monahan Partners. National Craft Broom Making Competition. Brooms will be PG 30

judged on craftsmanship and aesthetics for wall hanging, fireplaces, etc., and must be made with 100 percent broom corn, and also be functional. Two local artists and a broom maker will judge the entries. Handles are the craft broom maker’s choice. All entries must be clearly identified with the maker’s name and contact information. Submissions are due at the Monahan Partners’ office in Arcola by Sept. 1, 2015. All brooms will be displayed in the Broom Tent at the Arcola Broom Corn Festival, held September 11-13. Many brooms will be for sale, and the winners will be announced at the festival. “This is an interesting display of the nearly lost art of broom making, and a good reason to visit this year’s Arcola Broom Corn Festival. Monahan Partners invites all broom crafters to participate in the contest and show off their artistic abilities. The Arcola Broom Corn Festival is hoping to put a little ‘broom’ back in the festival.” Contact Pat Monahan at pat@monahanpartners.com or call 217-2685754 for more information.

The Malish Corporation Announces New Hires

The Malish Corporation, a manufacturer of rotary/disc brushes for commercial floor cleaning machines, along with a line of janitorial and foodservice/color-coded brushes, has announced that David J. Sternad has joined the company as regional sales manager for the foodservice division. Sternad comes to Malish with over 25 years of experience in the foodservice industry, including work with Perdue Farms, Dinner Bell Foods and Miceli Dairy Products. “As our foodservice business has continued to grow, we are pleased to have somebody with Dave’s experience take us to the next level. With BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

our recent additions to our foodservice line, the timing is perfect for our company,” Malish Corporation Vice President of Sales and Marketing Fred Lombardi said. Sternad holds a B.S. in Business Administration from John Carroll University. The Malish Corporation, based in Willoughby, OH, also announced that Aja R. Rendek is the company’s new David Sternad marketing manager. She will be responsible for coordinating all marketing activities for the company including development of collateral, advertising, public relations, tradeshow coordination, overseeing the company’s websites, and social media. “We are very excited to have someone with Aja’s skill set joining us at Malish,” Lombardi said. “Aja’s experience is a perfect fit for her responsibilities here. We look forward to having Aja Rendek her utilize her talents in marketing to continue to move Malish forward on a domestic and global scale.” Rendek was recently a marketing communications specialist at Adalet. She holds a B.A. in Speech Communication and Marketing from Ashland University. Visit www.malish.com for more information.

BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

PFERD To Consolidate All U.S. Operations And Staff At Milwaukee Facility

All PFERD executive personnel, marketing and customer service positions will be relocated from their longtime Leominster, MA, location and will join with all other company resources at its 100,000-squarefoot operations center in Milwaukee. The facility was purchased and officially opened four years ago. It already houses all brush manufacturing, PFERD and ADVANCE BRUSH brands product distribution and technical training functions. PFERD President Gene Huegin said, "With the initial phase of our consolidation to this more central location in 2011, we were able to provide our distributor partners one-order, one-shipment, one-invoice service to reduce costs. Now, by having our customer service professionals, marketing support staff and executive personnel situated with all our other resources, customers can take advantage of expediting additional business procedures.” This move follows the first consolidation of manufacturing, distribution and training functions originally initiated by the company in July 2011. The company launched PFERD Canada in 2009 and purchased Superior Abrasives in Dayton, OH, in 2012. Superior is also currently constructing a new facility in Vandalia, OH, near Dayton. PFERD INC. is the wholly owned subsidiary of August Rüggeberg GmbH and Co., a 216 year old family-owned business in Marienheide, Germany. It has been operating in the United States for over 30 years. For more information, visit www.pferdusa.com.

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Registration Open & Key Attractions Set For ISSA/INTERCLEAN 2015

The Wooster Brush Company Redesigns Its Website

Registration is now open for ISSA/INTERCLEAN® North America 2015 and the ISSA Convention Seminars, which takes place October 20-23 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, in Las Vegas, NV. This year’s show features new Outdoor Exhibits, where some of the exhibition’s 700-plus exhibitors from more than 30 countries will showcase their products and services in an open-air environment. To see a full list of exhibitors, visit www.issa.com/exhibitors. The tradeshow floor will also be host to this year’s lineup of ISSA Keynote Speakers, including: • Secrets of Flawless Execution — A global team of fighter pilots, Afterburner Inc., will reveal how to be in full fighting form every day; • Funny Business: A Private Performance with Jay Leno — The comedian and talk show host will share his brand of everyday observations and business insights; and, • ISSA Excellence Luncheon featuring Kevin O'Leary: How You Can Be a Successful Entrepreneur at Everything You Do — The host of Shark Tank will disclose what it takes to be successful in today’s economy. He will also provide lessons gleaned from the TV show. During four days of education, the 2015 event’s nearly 50 educational and networking events will cover topics such as: Infection Control; Society 3.0: The Future of Work; Helping Facilities Save Money and Reduce Environmental Impact; Growing Your Business While Others Shrink; and, Creating an Insanely Positive Workplace Culture Visit www.issa.com/schedule for more information.

“The Wooster (OH) Brush Company has announced the redesign and launch of its corporate website. The renewed site utilizes the company’s 164 years of industry experience to help painters of all skill levels,” said Wooster officials. According to Wooster’s new website features an overhauled catWooster officials, alog, newly organized layouts for easy exploration the company’s onof product lines and the ability to sort the different line catalog has alfields of brushes to narrow product search. ways been a focal point of its website and is the portion of the site that received the largest overhaul. The new layout of the brush section provides easy exploration of full product lines, all on one screen. New sortability allows visitors to narrow the field of brushes with as few as three mouse clicks. Corresponding literature and video content is now included throughout the catalog for maximum visibility and product education. Similar features also bring value to the revised roller and paint equipment sections. Several additional new site features include: an advisor for selecting the correct paintbrushes and roller covers, a retailer locator, and an enhanced search feature offering predictive results. Visit the Wooster Brush website at www.woosterbrush.com.

Royal Paint Roller Royal Paint Roller — a name known in the industry for over 45 years for top quality products, fine service and competitive prices. Manufacturer of paint rollers in ALL SIZES—from Slim Jim to Jumbo 21¼4” I.D. in VARIETY OF FABRICS—including lambskin, kodel, lambswool, synthetic blends & “Lint Free” woven line. Also a complete line of frames, trays, paint brushes & painting accessories for the professional and Do-It-Yourself markets. Specializing in private labeling at competitive prices.

ROYAL PAINT ROLLER 248 Wyandanch Avenue West Babylon, N.Y. 11704 Tel: (631) 643-8012 • Fax: (631) 253-9428 PG 32

BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

Imports/Exports IMPORTS, EXPORTS UP FOR FIRST QUARTER OF 2015

By Rick Mullen | Broom, Brush & Mop Associate Editor

U.S. government trade figures for the first quarter of 2015 indicate raw material imports were up in two categories outlined: broom and mop handles and metal handles, compared to the first quarter of 2014. For

Canada sent 674,720 brush backs to the United States during the first quarter of 2015, while Sri Lanka shipped 522,202. The average price per brush back was 47 cents during March 2015, up 4 percent from 45 cents for March 2014. For the first quarter of 2015, the average price per brush back was 49 cents, up 1 cent from the average price for the first quarter of 2014.

Metal Handles The import total of metal handles during March 2015 was 1.9 million, down 39 percent from 3.1 million for March 2014. During the first quarter of 2015, 6.5 million metal handles were imported, up 7 percent from 6.1 million for the first quarter of 2014. During the first quarter of 2015, both Spain and China exported 2.8 million metal handles to the United States. The average price per handle for March 2015 was $1.18, up 66 percent from 71 cents for March 2014. The average price for the first quarter of 2015 was $1.01, up 9 percent from the average price for the first quarter of 2014 of 93 cents.

March 2015, raw material imports were up in two categories outlined: hog bristle and broom and mop handles. Import totals for the first quarter of 2015 were up in six finished goods categories outlined: brooms and brushes of vegetable materials, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, shaving brushes, paint rollers and paintbrushes, compared to the first quarter of 2014. In March 2015, seven categories outlined recorded increases: brooms and brushes of vegetable material, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, shaving brushes, paint rollers, paintbrushes and upright brooms.

Hog Bristle The United States imported 18,143 kilograms of hog bristle in March 2015, up from 2,301 kilograms imported in March 2014. During the first quarter of 2015, 60,673 kilograms of hog bristle were imported, down 9 percent from 66,343 kilograms imported during the first quarter of 2014. China sent 57,970 kilograms of hog bristle to the United States during the first quarter of 2015. The average price per kilogram for March 2015 was $20.96, up 18 percent from the average price per kilogram for March 2014 of $17.76. The average price per kilogram for the first quarter of 2015 was $17.34, up 34 percent from the average price per kilogram of $12.92 for the first quarter of 2014.

Raw Material Imports

Broom And Mop Handles The import total of broom and mop handles during March 2015 was 1.9 million, up 58 percent from 1.2 million for March 2014. During the first quarter of 2015, 4.2 million broom and mop handles were imported, up 20 percent from 3.5 million for the first quarter of 2014. During the first quarter of 2015, the United States received 2.1 million broom and mop handles from Brazil, 1 million from Honduras and 792,526 from China. The average price per handle for March 2015 was 93 cents, down 11 percent from $1.05 for March 2014. The average price for the first quarter of 2015 was 90 cents, up 1 cent from the average price for the first quarter of 2014.

Brush Backs March 2015 imports of brush backs totaled 527,984, down 9 percent from 578,913 for March 2014. During the first quarter of 2015, 1.3 million brush backs were imported, down 7 percent from 1.4 million for the first quarter of 2014. PG 34

Brooms Of Broom Corn Valued At More Than 96 Cents The United States imported 564,591 brooms of broom corn valued at more than 96 cents per broom during March 2015, down 19 percent from 699,521 for March 2014. During the first quarter of 2015, 1.7 million brooms of broom corn were imported, down 11 percent from 1.9 million for the first quarter of 2014. Mexico shipped nearly all of the brooms to the United States during the first quarter of 2015. The average price per broom for March 2015 was $2.52, up 2 cents from the average price for March 2014. The average price per broom for the first quarter of 2015 was $2.51, down 1 percent from the average price for the first quarter of 2014 of $2.54.

Finished Goods Imports

Brooms & Brushes Of Vegetable Material The import total of brooms and brushes of vegetable material during March 2015 was 353,055, up 76 percent from 200,136 brooms and brushes imported during March 2014. During the first quarter of 2015, 1 million brooms and brushes were imported, up 135 percent from 425,718 for the first quarter of 2014. Sri Lanka exported 588,722 brooms and brushes to the United States during the first quarter of 2015, while Canada sent 284,262. The average price per unit for March 2015 was $1.30, down 16 percent from $1.55 for March 2014. The average price for the first quarter of 2015 was $1.14, down 35 percent from the average price recorded for the first quarter of 2014 of $1.75.

Toothbrushes The United States imported 89.5 million toothbrushes in March 2015, up 21 percent from 73.9 million imported in March 2014. During the first quarter of 2015, 237.5 million toothbrushes were imported, up 4 percent from 228.4 million imported during the first quarter of 2014. China sent 173.9 million toothbrushes to the United States during the first quarter of 2015. The average price per toothbrush for March 2015 was 24 cents, down 8 percent from 26 cents for March 2014. The average price for the first quarter of 2015 was 25 cents, up 9 percent from 23 cents for the first quarter of 2014.

Hairbrushes March 2015 imports of hairbrushes totaled 3.3 million, up 106 percent from 1.6 million for March 2014. During the first quarter of 2015, 10 million hairbrushes were imported, up 39 percent from 7.2 million for the first quarter of 2014. BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

China shipped 9.9 million hairbrushes to the United States during the first quarter of 2015. The average price per hairbrush was 28 cents during March 2015, the same as the average price for March 2014. For the first quarter of 2015, the average price per hairbrush was also 28 cents, the same as the average price for the first quarter of 2014.

Shaving Brushes The United States imported 10.6 million shaving brushes in March 2015, up 203 percent from 3.5 million imported in March 2014. During the first quarter of 2015, 28.2 million shaving brushes were imported, up 72 percent from 16.4 million imported during the first quarter of 2014. Germany sent 15.1 million shaving brushes to the United States during the first quarter of 2015, while China shipped 8.6 million. The average price per shaving brush for March 2015 was 9 cents, down 56 percent from the average price for March 2014 of 14 cents. The average price for the first quarter of 2015 was 10 cents, down 29 percent from the average price for the first quarter of 2014 of 14 cents.

Paint Rollers The import total of paint rollers during March 2015 was 5 million, up 25 percent from 4 million recorded for March 2014. During the first quarter of 2015, 15.9 million paint rollers were imported, up 36 percent from 11.7 million during the first quarter of 2014. China sent 12.7 million paint rollers to the United States during the first quarter of 2015, while Mexico exported 2 million. The average price per paint roller for March 2015 was 51 cents, up 6 percent from the average price for March 2014 of 48 cents. The average price for the first quarter of 2015 was 47 cents, down 11 percent from the average price of 53 cents for the first quarter of 2014.

Paintbrushes U.S. companies imported 24.1 million paintbrushes during March 2015, up 32 percent from 18.2 million paintbrushes imported during March 2014. Paintbrush imports for the first quarter of 2015 were 53.1 million, up 4 percent from 51.1 million recorded for the first quarter of 2014. China shipped 49.6 million paintbrushes to the United States during the first quarter of 2015. The average price per paintbrush for March 2015 was 32 cents, up 1 cent from the average price for March 2014. The average price for the first quarter of 2015 was 34 cents, up 13 percent from 30 cents for the first quarter of 2014.

Upright Brooms The total import of upright brooms for March 2015 was 1.1 million, up 22 percent from 902,305 for March 2014. During the first quarter of 2015, 3.4 million upright brooms were imported, down 3 percent from 3.5 million imported during the first quarter of 2014. China sent 2.9 million upright brooms to the United States during the first quarter of 2015. The average price per broom for March 2015 was $1.60, up 5 percent from the average price for March 2014 of $1.52. The average price per broom for the first quarter of 2015 was $1.49, down 4 percent from $1.56 for the first quarter of 2014.

Exports Export totals for the first quarter of 2015 were up in two categories outlined: artist brushes and paintbrushes, compared to the first quarter of 2014. In March 2015, three categories outlined reported increases: toothbrushes, shaving brushes and artist brushes, compared to March 2014. BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

Brooms & Brushes Of Vegetable Materials The United States exported 6,106 dozen brooms and brushes of vegetable materials during March 2015, down 12 percent from the March 2014 total of 6,949 dozen. Exports of brooms and brushes of vegetable materials during the first quarter of 2015 were 15,783 dozen, down 4 percent from 16,470 dozen for the first quarter of 2014. The United States sent 6,420 dozen brooms and brushes to Canada during the first quarter of 2015. The average price per dozen brooms and brushes was $36.52 in March 2015, down 13 percent from $41.89 for March 2014. The average price per dozen brooms and brushes for the first quarter of 2015 was $37.98, down 1 percent from $38.35 for the average price per dozen for the first quarter of 2014.

Toothbrushes During March 2015, the United States exported 12.4 million toothbrushes, up 7 percent from the total recorded in March 2014 of 11.6 million. During the first quarter of 2015, 35.5 million toothbrushes were exported, down 4 percent from 37.1 million exported during the first quarter of 2014. The United States exported 9 million toothbrushes to Canada during the first quarter of 2015, while sending 8 million toothbrushes to Germany and 7.3 million to Mexico. The average price per toothbrush for March 2015 was 56 cents, up 4 percent from 54 cents for March 2014. The average price per toothbrush for the first quarter of 2015 was 54 cents, up 13 percent from 48 cents for the first quarter of 2014.

Shaving Brushes The United States exported 1.7 million shaving brushes during March 2015, up 187 percent from 591,842 shaving brushes exported for March 2014. During the first quarter of 2015, 3.5 million shaving brushes were exported, the same as during the first quarter of 2014. Brazil imported 1.8 million shaving brushes from the United States during the first quarter of 2015, while Canada received 599,628, and Mexico was sent 234,370. The average price per shaving brush for March 2015 was $1.27, down 54 percent from the average price for March 2014 of $2.76. The average price for the first quarter of 2015 was $1.24, down 5 percent from $1.30 recorded for the first quarter of 2014.

Artist Brushes March 2015 exports of artist brushes totaled 1 million, up 8 percent from the March 2014 total of 922,554 artist brushes. During the first quarter of 2015, 2.9 million artist brushes were exported, up 21 percent from 2.4 million for the first quarter of 2014. Canada received 1.7 million artist brushes from the United States during the first quarter of 2015. The average price per artist brush was $2.77 during March 2015, up 16 percent from the average price for March 2014 of $2.38. For the first quarter of 2015, the average price per artist brush was $2.62, down 6 percent from the average price for the first quarter of 2014 of $2.79.

Paintbrushes The export total of paintbrushes during March 2015 was 122,907, down 27 percent from 168,231 for March 2014. During the first quarter of 2015, 376,117 paintbrushes were exported, up 7 percent from 351,178 during the first quarter of 2014. Canada imported 183,621 paintbrushes from the United States during the first quarter of 2015. The average price per paintbrush for March 2015 was $15.10, up 10 percent from $13.74 for March 2014. The average price for the first quarter of 2015 was $12.91, down 21 percent from $16.24 recorded for the first quarter of 2014. PG 35

exports MARCH EXPORTS BY COUNTRY

Domestic Merchandise

1404902000 Broomcorn (Sorghum Vulgare Var. Technicum) Used Primarily In Brooms Or In Brushes, Whether or Not In Hanks or Bundles March Year To Date Country Net Q/Ton Value Net Q/Ton Value St K N 1 3,784 France 4 14,688 TOTAL 5 18,472

9603100000 Brooms & Brushes, Consisting of Twigs or Other Vegetable Materials Bound Together, With or Without Handles March Year To Date Country Net Q/Dozen Value Net Q/Dozen Value Canada 2,548 101,852 6,420 265,023 Mexico 977 23,565 1,190 30,584 Hondura 106 3,500 106 3,500 C Rica 1,535 23,307 Jamaica 10 2,765 10 2,765 Cayman 49 3,069 Curaco 329 10,731 329 10,731 Guadlpe 150 10,047 Brazil 126 4,145 226 8,809 Argent 600 17,196 U King 353 6,408 1,555 42,489 Germany 542 17,884 542 17,884 Poland 135 9,768 135 9,768 S Arab 980 42,381 1,024 58,761 Singapr 696 28,550 China 40 22,000 Kor Rep 10 8,001 Japan 390 8,892 Egypt 676 22,280 Nigeria 100 5,789 TOTAL 6,106 222,999 15,783 599,445

Country Canada Mexico Salvadr Hondura Nicarag C Rica Panama Jamaica Cayman Haiti Dom Rep Antigua S Lucia Trinid S Maarte Curaco Aruba Martinq Colomb Guyana Surinam Chile Brazil Paragua Uruguay Argent

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9603210000 Toothbrushes March Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 3,066,050 3,455,401 9,041,078 2,106,346 748,397 7,338,582 8,754 8,640 5,160 4,388 5,160 1,164 12,528 5,721 527,184 12,960 4,465 20,954 2,643 156 39,613 42,024 183,145 4,464 5,760 2,928 6,413 64,272 37,095 183,530 558 64,296 23,913 79,776 8,672 212 6,223 212 45,018 47,218 360,438 37,064 1,930 6,471 1,930 5,394 7,305 74,738 7,305 2,627 26,875 2,627 3,799 38,556 3,799 95,616 21,322 1,310,760

Value 9,156,310 2,507,756 46,319 8,053 4,388 10,122 362,122 7,470 27,040 3,711 132,543 4,429 9,614 307,997 3,977 28,708 5,995 6,223 190,218 66,700 6,471 31,995 74,738 26,875 38,556 309,114

U King Ireland Nethlds Belgium France Germany Czech Hungary Switzld Lithuan Russia Armenia Italy Slvenia Greece S Arab Arab Em India Thailnd Malaysa Singapr Indnsia Phil R China Kor Rep Hg Kong Taiwan Japan Austral Libya TOTAL

1,632 302,400 6,840 2,160

5,971 102,816 10,654 3,154

1,341

13,723

3,734,773 864,072

550,273 378,229

1,383

3,561

362

3,705

3,585 388,800 28,224

36,682 144,720 7,667

19,446 861,179 585,042 30,089 2,393 11,205 10,368

22,066 565,332 474,485 50,095 22,877 9,678 3,732

4,560

12,393,346

13,728

6,968,883

8,795 723,600 10,680 5,184 5,327 7,950,354 1,702,108 148,032 1,341 3,360 5,100 1,383 7,000 359 362 5,760 3,585 1,356,188 94,332 855 10,872 35,706 21,326 1,770,009 1,060,828 1,077,428 63,374 283,823 34,560 80 35,542,113

38,159 244,763 17,796 7,638 6,448 1,362,924 742,715 76,522 13,723 8,501 15,252 3,561 27,300 3,669 3,705 6,552 36,682 521,204 15,811 8,750 22,093 24,350 25,354 1,039,444 838,001 544,125 89,356 86,487 14,353 2,880 19,225,562

9603290000 Shaving Brushes, Hairbrushes, Nail Brushes, Eyelash Brushes & Other Toilet Brushes For Use on the Person March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q./No. Value Canada 232,956 356,430 599,628 994,745 Mexico 70,596 597,471 234,370 808,438 Guatmal 971 7,880 C Rica 5,748 22,855 Dom Rep 6,108 18,497 9,060 25,157 Trinid 12,096 4,752 14,602 45,774 Colomb 51 6,496 12,843 26,496 Venez 4,100 3,075 5,062 11,875 Ecuador 56,832 72,947 58,902 86,310 Peru 360 7,162 Chile 11,520 18,279 18,530 32,028 Brazil 947,649 212,704 1,786,015 457,930 Paragua 6,948 17,175 7,308 27,085 Argent 192,240 133,744 316,260 196,516 U King 6,223 39,193 36,917 155,231 Nethlds 1,030 62,295 1,384 71,906 Belgium 1,616 14,783 3,344 32,007 France 41,470 121,004 48,770 153,472 Germany 15,760 80,237 21,796 99,015 Switzld 862 7,884 3,115 28,486 Poland 471 4,303 1,023 9,354 Russia 4,582 14,584 Spain 8,508 12,337 Turkey 12,167 26,146 12,167 26,146 Israel 1,368 3,067 Kuwait 2,421 23,415 S Arab 2,345 22,313 Arab Em 6,698 33,414 15,353 64,412 India 1,290 11,800 2,572 23,519 Singapr 18,984 57,990 69,694 230,437 Phil R 26 5,000 46 8,500 China 7,750 25,371 114,130 134,451 Kor Rep 4,922 29,691 24,489 131,945 Hg Kong 10,162 51,588 19,144 105,267 Taiwan 8,586 27,698 14,122 46,103 Japan 2,473 21,976 8,102 67,976 Austral 18,919 91,958 30,455 129,852 Rep Saf 1,404 2,867 1,766 10,311 TOTAL 1,701,909 2,156,768 3,517,272 4,354,357

BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

9603300000 Artists Brushes, Writing Brushes and Similar Brushes for the Application of Cosmetics March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 573,559 1,193,155 1,763,949 3,559,994 Mexico 24,438 83,998 137,404 446,696 Guatmal 196 3,173 C Rica 12,738 47,000 12,738 47,000 Panama 369 3,237 Jamaica 3,296 12,160 Cayman 1,969 7,265 Dom Rep 9,640 8,027 Barbado 929 3,427 Trinid 1,695 26,410 Guadlpe 729 2,691 729 2,691 Colomb 5,423 20,009 9,966 86,872 Venez 1,732 6,389 Ecuador 37,877 139,753 37,877 139,753 Peru 1,646 7,299 Chile 7,680 7,416 7,680 7,416 Brazil 4,916 20,930 20,475 82,450 Paragua 1,534 5,659 2,545 9,388 Iceland 11,673 43,071 Sweden 396 9,342 14,461 51,257 Norway 1,127 7,351 10,295 46,676 Finland 1,931 7,126 U King 104,526 362,784 231,897 802,718 Ireland 5,016 18,505 5,016 18,505 Nethlds 6,012 29,388 39,709 145,487 Belgium 13,263 48,934 France 1,673 13,955 16,083 68,402 Germany 7,016 20,036 30,480 93,164 Hungary 849 3,310 1,551 5,900 Switzld 7,680 35,605 7,680 35,605 Lithuan 2,000 4,860 Poland 1,105 4,078 1,105 4,078 Russia 2,640 9,739 2,640 9,739 Spain 4,044 21,605 4,044 21,605 Italy 4,023 20,101 16,943 67,770 Slvenia 1,824 16,591 Greece 194 2,550 194 2,550 Turkey 787 2,903 40,779 150,461 Lebanon 1,329 4,903 1,329 4,903 Israel 24,603 42,708 24,603 42,708 Kuwait 2,708 14,375 2,708 14,375 S Arab 322 3,438 322 3,438 Arab Em 4,610 16,066 India 2,013 8,292 Thailnd 1,084 4,000 32,734 120,779 Vietnam 772 2,850 Malaysa 5,683 20,970 5,683 20,970 Singapr 950 17,266 China 26,400 99,764 38,167 137,577 Kor Rep 37,098 180,520 39,255 188,480 Hg Kong 16,856 65,805 39,811 202,061 Taiwan 7,077 41,560 Japan 43,981 163,570 90,261 333,501 Austral 24,104 86,956 90,046 207,612 N Zeal 1,181 4,359 1,336 7,786 TOTAL 1,001,331 2,773,231 2,850,080 7,474,370 Country Canada Mexico C Rica Panama Bermuda Bahamas Dom Rep Trinid Colomb U King Ireland

9603402000 Paint Rollers March Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 118,872 210,770 305,736 23,072 56,721 41,503 16,330 4,706 1,308 2,309 783 23,565 36,549 8,120 16,045 8,120 172 62 3,378 144 2,856 11,582 2,856

BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

Value 584,980 102,818 104,140 8,939 3,096 12,756 87,227 16,045 3,024 6,756 11,582

Nethlds Germany Czech Lithuan Turkey S Arab India Thailnd Malaysa Kor Rep Austral N Zeal Fiji Ghana TOTAL Country Mexico Panama Trinid Peru Brazil Argent Falk Is U King Spain Austral Nigeria TOTAL

46 3,807 42 4,114 73

3,663 10,113 11,280 16,195 6,934

110

6,690

2,000 163,957

3,134 380,070

46 9,533 42 4,114 73 64,800 159 19 1,041 4,538 18,611 4,279 5,250 2,000 534,238

9603404020 Paint Pads March Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 1,697 16,828 6,651 309 682 4,840 682 120 9,714 62,865 10,722 1,440 2,123 2,460 15,360 2,460 399 12,740 434 3,080 434 14,987 102,973 38,080

3,663 24,256 11,280 16,195 6,934 59,256 2,785 2,617 5,058 74,291 43,496 20,343 6,850 3,134 1,221,521 Value 42,956 9,332 4,840 3,240 65,899 5,387 15,070 15,360 2,832 10,465 3,080 178,461

9603404050 Paint, Distemper, Varnish or Similar Brushes (Except Brushes of 9603.30) March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 60,714 874,866 183,621 2,377,294 Mexico 2,839 44,065 5,762 88,898 Guatmal 453 9,392 Salvadr 47 3,525 Hondura 5,628 22,541 5,628 22,541 Nicarag 497 6,140 Panama 599 13,694 2,939 81,587 Bermuda 285 5,921 285 5,921 Bahamas 1,248 32,544 Jamaica 471 9,763 840 17,426 Cayman 132 2,744 B Virgn 306 6,352 306 6,352 S Vn Gr 130 2,695 Barbado 168 3,478 Trinid 121 2,519 413 8,574 Ecuador 365 7,564 2,933 60,843 Chile 30 4,464 30 4,464 Brazil 253 5,248 2,137 50,396 Argent 2,528 52,425 Finland 660 23,157 U King 22,277 411,226 39,909 774,401 Nethlds 156 3,229 France 505 10,482 1,844 32,414 Germany 5,827 32,385 8,919 99,779 Spain 34 2,516 56 7,799 Italy 600 3,276 600 3,276 Israel 550 11,406 550 11,406 S Arab 700 9,494 3,623 22,448 Arab Em 595 8,084 595 8,084 India 151 3,135 Singapr 858 17,263 2,513 53,385 Phil R 3,410 16,611 China 1,520 31,536 4,167 80,831 Kor Rep 4,963 195,350 67,347 578,561 Taiwan 1,266 20,823 Japan 200 3,800 1,718 13,688 Austral 12,667 121,905 18,441 196,025 New Gui 313 6,500 N Zeal 7,426 34,327

PG 37

Samoa Nigeria TOTAL

122,907

1,855,720

972 1,384 376,117

7,502 21,289 4,855,909

9603900000 Hand-Operated Mechanical Floor Sweepers, Not Motorized, Mops & Feather Dusters; Prepared Knots & Tufts for Broom or Brush Making, NESOI March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 217,663 2,865,288 669,123 7,568,371 Mexico 26,503 311,673 128,704 1,543,721 Guatmal 1,623 26,326 3,322 42,425 Salvadr 707 9,852 Hondura 5,395 23,567 5,803 26,300 Nicarag 315 6,442 C Rica 2,360 38,287 8,697 87,221 Panama 835 13,536 5,730 85,313 Bermuda 318 5,164 318 5,164 Bahamas 491 5,495 2,521 20,954 Jamaica 391 6,340 641 10,777 Cayman 505 8,178 1,921 25,101 Haiti 776 3,669 776 3,669 Dom Rep 591 10,105 784 13,233 B Virgn 211 3,776 Trinid 597 6,959 Curaco 780 2,562 852 7,866 Colomb 684 11,784 5,302 96,210 Venez 44,880 451,022 69,083 705,133 Guyana 542 6,205 542 6,205 Ecuador 1,884 6,813 5,957 22,614 Peru 2,005 37,839 7,899 103,590 Chile 1,838 29,818 4,194 70,422 Brazil 981 15,922 5,385 131,933 Paragua 11,204 32,724 Uruguay 1,755 28,472 1,755 28,472 Argent 60 8,995 1,082 25,570 Iceland 20 3,431 805 17,435 Sweden 434 7,043 2,037 38,432 Norway 897 9,743 Finland 211 3,418 211 3,418 Denmark 625 10,135 U King 8,551 93,710 41,142 296,596 Ireland 1,110 14,842 2,298 49,468 Nethlds 4,787 46,285 10,071 70,511 Belgium 13,496 95,658 29,873 268,819 Luxmbrg 50 2,573 380 18,703 France 184 12,229 305 20,338 Germany 3,788 55,479 11,898 185,195 Hungary 1,338 19,796 1,338 19,796 Switzld 970 16,523 2,329 42,198 Poland 612 10,624 612 10,624 Russia 707 11,463 2,363 20,495 Kazakhs 300 4,858 Spain 748 7,934 2,181 26,057 Portugl 229 3,721 759 6,766 Italy 338 5,478 3,290 50,695 Turkey 1,260 3,558 2,736 19,512 Lebanon 720 4,400 Israel 1,080 13,254 Jordan 1,332 21,600 Kuwait 3,812 56,632 S Arab 21,248 209,952 32,438 378,717 Qatar 650 5,863 Arab Em 2,546 26,029 12,815 117,170 Bahrain 141 2,786 141 2,786 Afghan 350 4,813 India 918 14,880 3,738 60,613 Pakistn 428 5,116 Thailnd 451 9,134 910 18,213 Vietnam 1,900 33,074

PG 38

Malaysa Singapr Indnsia Phil R China Kor Rep Hg Kong Taiwan Japan Austral N Zeal Moroc Egypt Togo Nigeria Gabon Rep Saf TOTAL

480 7,629 24 1,486 20,358 1,983 27,122 2,077 11,950 16,060 607

10,020 100,098 4,600 27,129 126,174 16,737 416,973 32,685 192,292 183,051 6,804

11,809

264,280

351 478,933

3,089 5,977,538

2,716 15,012 24 6,823 33,552 10,663 47,408 5,130 267,607 34,463 3,340 975 3,312 850 11,809 2,310 4,435 1,570,618

61,261 187,819 4,600 80,689 308,647 59,088 664,415 79,500 4,108,358 380,368 26,870 6,435 20,808 15,360 264,280 37,462 30,234 18,938,256

imports MARCH IMPORTS BY COUNTRY

Country Thailnd China Kor Rep TOTAL

Country Thailnd China TOTAL

0502100000 Pigs’, Hogs’ or Boars’ Bristles and Hair and Waste Thereof March Year To Date Net Q/KG Value Net Q/KG 953 11,148 953 17,190 369,141 57,970 1,750 18,143 380,289 60,673 0502900000 Badger Hair and Other Brushmaking Hair and Waste Thereof March Year To Date Net Q/KG Value Net Q/KG 325 21,903 2,198 7,509 250,464 9,283 7,834 272,367 11,481

Value 11,148 1,021,798 19,115 1,052,061

Value 57,839 306,549 364,388

0511993300 Horsehair and Horsehair Waste, Whether or Not Put Up As A Layer With or Without Supporting Material March Year To Date Country Net Q/KG Value Net Q/KG Value Brazil 1 3,107 1 3,107 Paragua 12,150 165,369 Germany 1,475 18,270 7,075 73,854 China 8,291 149,336 38,317 527,791 TOTAL 9,767 170,713 57,543 770,121

1404903000 Istle Used Primarily In Brooms or In Brushes, Whether or Not In Hanks or Bundles March Year To Date Country Net Q/KG Value Net Q/KG Value Mexico 39,748 217,624 111,682 621,341 China 37 3,541 TOTAL 39,748 217,624 111,719 624,882

4417002000 Broom and Mop Handles, 1.9 CM or More In Diameter and 97 CM or More In Length, Of Wood March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Mexico 34,350 43,634 Hondura 518,366 276,311 1,040,354 589,369 Dom Rep 9,696 11,458

BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

Colomb Brazil Sri Lka Indnsia China Hg Kong Taiwan TOTAL

6,336 1,015,774 4,800 127,430 260,786

4,176 1,937,668

2,572 1,157,155 8,339 132,915 217,427

3,306 1,798,025

15,096 2,095,830 4,800 216,337 792,526 1,008 4,176 4,214,173

7,419 2,449,136 8,339 214,620 468,677 3,982 3,306 3,799,940

4417004000 Paint Brush and Paint Roller Handles, Of Wood March Year To Date Country Net Q/Variable Value Net Q/Variable Value Germany 12,499 35,836 Czech 16,191 Poland 89,154 103,077 Italy 727,367 2,115,016 Thailnd 5,281 48,929 Indnsia 144,220 323,257 China 126,818 625,677 TOTAL 1,105,339 3,267,983 Country Canada Mexico Sri Lka Indnsia China TOTAL Country Canada Mexico Guatmal Hondura Brazil Italy Vietnam Indnsia China Taiwan TOTAL

4417006000 Brush Backs, Of Wood March Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 266,475 113,341 674,720 1,500 5,269 3,708 184,296 103,410 522,202 68,993 19,984 68,993 6,720 4,473 21,744 527,984 246,477 1,291,367

4417008010 Tool Handles of Wood March Year To Date Net Q/Variable Value Net Q/Variable 29,985 48,841 53,901 41,582 158,538 100,033

85,347 70,957 589,184

Value 289,902 14,115 292,679 19,984 14,482 631,162 Value 43,133 148,119 53,901 236,996 469,894 64,707 139,499 45,170 211,048 125,830 1,538,297

4417008090 Tools, Tool Bodies, Broom or Brush Bodies, Shoe Lasts and Trees, of Wood March Year To Date Country Net Q/Variable Value Net Q/Variable Value Canada 27,856 76,425 Mexico 4,808 Hondura 6,915 Chile 611,024 1,470,763 Brazil 164,017 318,169 U King 3,829 13,338 France 2,265 23,744 Germany 21,588 30,396 Switzld 42,340 42,340 Spain 6,989 6,989 Italy 13,658 23,045 India 98,254 495,875 Sri Lka 132,175 240,060 Vietnam 25,793 56,763 Indnsia 3,286 70,355 China 469,259 1,213,728 Hg Kong 7,880 7,880 Taiwan 2,886 6,338 Japan 376,204 687,134 TOTAL 2,009,303 4,795,065

BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

7326908576 Metal Handles For Brooms, Mops, Paint Applicators March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Mexico 92,960 20,555 Brazil 13,536 7,748 34,008 21,979 Sweden 20 2,871 Denmark 510 5,492 570 12,771 Spain 510,720 243,855 2,763,648 1,192,813 Italy 155,443 645,938 694,625 1,880,756 Israel 3,480 2,667 China 1,197,589 1,299,303 2,848,177 3,395,225 Hg Kong 1,000 6,050 3,500 8,647 Taiwan 47,400 30,579 TOTAL 1,878,798 2,208,386 6,488,388 6,568,863

9603100500 Wiskbrooms, of Broom Corn, LT=.96 EA. Prior to Entry or Withdrawal for Consumption of 61,655 Dozen In Calendar Year March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value China 54,768 46,469 61,392 53,964 TOTAL 54,768 46,469 61,392 53,964

9603104000 Other Brooms, of Broomcorn, LT=.96 EA, Prior to Entry or Withdrawal For Consumption of GT=121,478 Dozen in Calendar Year March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Mexico 10,212 8,206 20,160 14,200 TOTAL 10,212 8,206 20,160 14,200 9603106000 Other Brooms, Of Broomcorn, Valued Over .96 Each March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Mexico 548,229 1,386,731 1,667,687 4,195,754 Hondura 3,912 8,837 3,912 8,837 China 12,450 26,396 20,434 39,903 TOTAL 564,591 1,421,964 1,692,033 4,244,494

9603109000 Brooms & Brushes, Consisting of Twigs or Other Vegetable Materials Bound Together, With or Without Handles, NESOI March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 121,120 167,769 284,262 390,798 Mexico 7,008 21,264 13,468 41,585 Colomb 3,600 2,990 Germany 350 4,596 Switzld 12 3,968 12 3,968 Estonia 200 8,017 Italy 1,117 18,453 1,117 18,453 India 9,825 12,612 Sri Lka 184,204 157,083 588,722 511,647 Thailnd 2,550 8,682 5,600 15,806 Vietnam 17,300 19,868 49,240 63,992 Phil R 2,000 4,100 2,600 6,852 China 16,308 51,172 86,153 107,557 Kor Rep 1,436 5,948 1,436 5,948 TOTAL 353,055 458,307 1,046,585 1,194,821

9603210000 Toothbrushes, Incl. Dental-Plate Brushes March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 35,820 17,613 82,055 44,827 Mexico 213,304 150,006 695,673 429,041 Guatmal 2,553,408 369,984 6,145,416 1,748,325 Brazil 181,584 60,065 Sweden 83,236 99,542 131,448 169,027 U King 485 2,179 485 2,179 Ireland 570,880 232,799 1,111,984 597,836 Nethlds 17,096 10,711 17,096 10,711 Germany 2,911,468 1,844,118 7,529,469 5,579,624

PG 39

Hungary Switzld Italy India Thailnd Vietnam Malaysa Indnsia China Kor Rep Hg Kong Taiwan Japan TOTAL

9,864 3,687,112 35,532 4,669,386 118,512 4,728,654 60,000 4,500 67,307,999 241,250

1,108,712 1,151,936 89,509,154

10,897 2,238,379 70,642 759,435 43,396 333,264 12,621 15,300 14,620,915 139,206

267,637 116,265 21,354,909

43,608 11,597,013 35,532 13,520,376 301,176 15,175,383 1,577,160 22,500 173,919,901 741,286 175,600 3,213,932 1,253,156 237,471,833

47,305 8,297,791 70,642 2,157,869 100,338 1,450,461 173,930 49,396 37,034,912 388,201 16,638 745,920 341,947 59,516,985

9603294010 Hairbrushes, Valued Not Over .40 Each March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Italy 50,000 11,330 China 3,343,340 923,116 9,928,615 2,759,991 TOTAL 3,343,340 923,116 9,978,615 2,771,321

9603294090 Shaving Brushes, Nail Brushes, Eyelash Brushes & Other Toilet Brushes For Use On The Person, Valued Not Over .40 Each March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Mexico 77,740 13,960 504,090 83,446 Nethlds 67,076 4,101 67,076 4,101 Germany 6,143,190 304,850 15,083,790 982,147 Italy 740,000 14,210 2,615,000 48,997 India 376,320 10,903 China 3,547,621 576,859 8,557,958 1,389,045 Kor Rep 10,000 4,300 423,000 24,927 Taiwan 40,000 8,429 429,952 115,083 Japan 144 3,387 113,144 22,952 TOTAL 10,625,771 930,096 28,170,330 2,681,601 9603302000 Artists Brushes, Writing Brushes & Similar Brushes For Application Of Cosmetics, Valued Not Over .05 Each March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 150,000 5,118 Mexico 743,000 21,340 1,688,000 51,969 Dom Rep 109,846 3,068 France 1,840,000 61,629 6,260,000 205,894 Germany 134,769 3,685 1,029,846 31,857 Italy 5,140,000 58,630 14,223,000 159,600 India 1,867,560 58,837 2,191,560 72,770 Thailnd 316,115 8,360 316,115 8,360 Vietnam 1,805,000 22,666 5,170,000 66,501 China 22,113,917 512,580 37,883,731 1,085,829 Kor Rep 1,207,008 31,648 1,627,008 40,128 Taiwan 2,739,980 32,105 2,999,980 36,826 TOTAL 37,907,349 811,480 73,649,086 1,767,920

9603304000 Artists Brushes, Writing Brushes & Similar Brushes For Application of Cosmetics, Valued Over .05 But not Over .10 Each March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Mexico 3,181,755 244,033 10,913,260 792,978 Germany 640,000 54,469 840,000 68,319 Italy 158,920 9,278 India 175,480 12,915 581,212 42,060 China 13,040,414 1,025,544 31,816,222 2,514,579 Kor Rep 333,534 32,767 441,842 42,987 Hg Kong 800,000 56,350 Taiwan 238,000 18,715 389,776 32,881 TOTAL 17,609,183 1,388,443 45,941,232 3,559,432

PG 40

9603306000 Artists Brushes, Writing Brushes & Similar Brushes For Application Of Cosmetics, Valued Over .10 Each March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 1,925 8,311 2,060 12,891 Mexico 15,190,795 2,512,375 41,865,448 6,858,506 Dom Rep 16,123 58,775 67,486 192,476 B Virgn 1,000 5,125 U King 25,525 81,810 86,467 249,701 France 93,212 437,525 241,010 1,181,524 Germany 56,864 213,200 109,878 508,923 Switzld 636 9,767 3,014 22,044 Poland 99 2,788 Spain 50,349 121,778 71,296 229,326 Italy 11,476 136,687 21,815 375,918 Greece 45 2,741 45 2,741 India 1,136,383 396,749 2,717,801 950,915 Sri Lka 217,572 143,646 780,227 555,068 Thailnd 190,976 124,051 774,222 453,366 Vietnam 135,000 92,200 460,000 400,477 Phil R 144 12,489 144 12,489 China 32,320,664 27,409,947 82,374,930 68,038,514 Kor Rep 158,267 188,722 565,549 604,278 Hg Kong 39,395 77,924 336,350 703,099 Taiwan 174,097 91,915 426,441 353,156 Japan 344,022 1,398,013 648,016 3,090,012 Austral 1,488 25,606 1,488 25,606 Mauritn 3,327 20,633 3,327 20,633 Maurit 52,900 299,287 89,197 493,930 TOTAL 50,221,185 33,864,151 131,647,310 85,343,506 Country Canada Mexico Sweden U King Nethlds Germany Czech Cambod Indnsia China TOTAL

9603402000 Paint Rollers March Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 11,226 26,451 30,008 645,252 236,630 1,969,368 3,200 5,402 8,400 60,000 2,000 370,092 80,954 370,992 49,300 19,570 49,300 262,104 47,309 517,056 60,940 66,243 166,924 3,633,859 2,091,840 12,699,008 5,035,973 2,574,399 15,873,056

Value 73,709 648,264 14,741 37,670 3,609 84,467 19,570 92,649 89,084 6,450,274 7,514,037

9603404020 Paint Pads (Other Than Of Subheading 9603.30) March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value U King 55,000 27,125 Pakistn 44,000 4,457 117,600 12,154 China 3,177,484 920,847 4,842,687 1,802,740 Taiwan 97,636 60,967 97,636 60,967 TOTAL 3,319,120 986,271 5,112,923 1,902,986

9603404040 Natural Bristle Brushes, Other Than Brushes Of Subheading 9603.30 March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 15,876 16,344 42,008 46,416 Sweden 100 4,333 U King 4,000 7,560 5,000 9,870 Germany 2,735 18,251 4,206 30,835 Italy 11,116 118,850 36,004 293,616 Turkey 6,808 25,508 22,484 100,809 Indnsia 6,836,184 1,056,840 15,341,540 2,571,422 China 5,865,824 923,649 20,938,217 3,452,154 Taiwan 124,992 31,634 155,742 51,664 TOTAL 12,867,535 2,198,636 36,545,301 6,561,119

BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

9603404060 Paint, Distemper, Varnish/Similr Brushes Exc Brushes of Subheading 9603.30 NESOI March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. ValueCanada Canada 8,986 16,391 15,191 25,693 Guatmal 10,320 9,146 Dom Rep 14 8,495 Sweden 69,180 23,532 U King 20 7,184 72,404 55,127 Ireland 941 4,589 Belgium 5,226 12,857 France 1,716 4,572 Germany 1,251 10,772 9,123 40,524 Italy 4,434 7,612 Turkey 53,168 143,753 76,312 233,708 Israel 240 3,571 India 25,000 4,311 Sri Lka 7 5,495 Vietnam 656 2,858 Indnsia 1,817,664 419,692 2,921,760 788,162 China 22,180,668 6,980,254 49,647,964 16,583,236 Taiwan 10,080 10,540 Japan 29,610 35,777 72,031 88,875 Rep Saf 149 8,122 205,257 66,149 TOTAL 24,091,516 7,621,945 53,147,856 17,979,052

Country China Hg Kong Taiwan TOTAL

9603908010 Wiskbrooms March Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 155,678 114,933 482,172 11,448 13,850 26,100 2,016 5,035 2,016 169,142 133,818 510,288

Value 331,076 31,530 5,035 367,641

Country Canada Mexico Guatmal Colomb Brazil Germany Spain Italy Sri Lka Phil R China Kor Rep TOTAL

9603908020 Upright Brooms March Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 1,800 6,315 1,800 10,490 24,632 82,024 2,910 46,037 8,804 10,320 9,303 10,320 278 3,745 21,120 42,784 29,760 27,496 42,874 168,087 84,576 169,411 254,940 1,200 949,809 1,431,282 2,883,621 303 1,108,521 1,772,638 3,444,882

Value 6,315 119,325 91,716 9,303 6,928 15,324 58,972 227,390 492,218 2,685 4,095,160 3,610 5,128,946

9603908030 Push Brooms, 41 CM or Less in Width March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 1,279 5,155 Mexico 299 2,049 Sri Lka 52,188 208,374 151,404 567,534 China 11,964 48,716 51,876 158,719 TOTAL 64,152 257,090 204,858 733,457

Country Canada Mexico Guatmal

9603908040 Other Brooms, NESOI March Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 3,455 37,882 51,828 406,288 596,544 1,046,304 28,056 24,186 41,256

BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015

Value 374,214 1,378,642 40,170

Salvadr Colomb Brazil U King Czech Spain Italy Israel Sri Lka Thailnd Vietnam China Hg Kong Taiwan Austral TOTAL

73,488 32,620 39,378

76,900 51,898 61,422

26,610

58,887

104,832

33,888

85,344 7,800 16,300 630,013

176,253 18,311 18,813 720,969

1,462,064

1,889,208

7,880

13,255

144,732 102,712 87,686 1,437 187,488 33,288 27,909 4,072 249,160 12,800 40,885 1,345,542 2,080 10,904 550

3,390,633

154,456 126,627 134,500 10,261 59,624 23,652 101,309 14,235 499,747 27,998 64,286 1,683,057 16,670 22,300 115,942

4,847,690

9603908050 Brooms, Brushes, Sqeegees, Etc., NESOI March Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 2,140,390 4,853,724 Mexico 4,869,975 13,890,812 Salvadr 46,025 51,312 Hondura 1,642,683 4,355,266 Dom Rep 16,342 16,342 Colomb 111,735 201,814 Brazil 23,071 134,176 Sweden 7,403 40,956 Norway 3,191 3,191 Denmark 323,952 766,894 U King 107,828 240,251 Nethlds 15,682 67,692 Belgium 126,072 262,334 France 12,630 38,322 Germany 381,518 953,658 Austria 2,512 Czech 2,410 7,912 Hungary 2,754 Lichten 2,214 Switzld 8,365 59,600 Estonia 12,079 23,280 Latvia 6,394 6,394 Lithuan 38,551 99,817 Poland 51,990 110,821 Spain 49,126 254,195 Italy 287,703 771,681 Slvenia 4,314 Turkey 6,693 Israel 92,302 337,550 Arab Em 30,277 30,277 India 31,314 80,352 Pakistn 694,197 1,635,331 Bngldsh 47,596 72,769 Sri Lka 241,289 450,700 Thailnd 96,481 640,411 Vietnam 29,754 94,272 Malaysa 252,240 486,356 Indnsia 168,507 320,773 China 39,581,781 106,973,724 Kor Rep 431,452 709,899 Hg Kong 523,002 1,300,310 Taiwan 2,238,168 5,071,728 Japan 30,157 102,802 Austral 54,505 165,292 N Zeal 65,451 100,352 Egypt 69,071 TOTAL 54,893,588 145,870,900

PG 41

Raw Material Report

By Harrell Kerkhoff | Broom, Brush & Mop Editor

Healthy brush, mop and broom production depends on the availability and stable pricing of various types of raw materials. Representatives from two companies in the industry reported on issues that are influencing the raw material marketplace.

A report on polyethylene (PE) used to produce film for flexible packaging, such as broom sleeves, was presented by Vonco Products, LLC, Partner and Vice President Tim Morgan. The Lake Villa, IL, company (www.vonco.com) provides custom packaging for a range of segments, including the broom, brush and mop industry; foodservice, medical and industrial fields; and retail packaging. “The film we use that is made from polyethylene (PE) comes exclusively from the United States. We also purchase different types of barrier film, depending on end-use applications. These latter films provide barrier properties such as moisture, oxygen, odor and/or puncture resistance,” Morgan said. “We will design and customize material solutions that meet and exceed performance expectations. Nearly all of the materials we are sourcing come from domestic suppliers. “When it comes to film, we look for quality, lead time consistency and a commitment from our suppliers showing that we are an important part of their business.” Morgan reported that a resin price increase for film of approximately 5 percent took place in late May. The good news, he added, is that as natural gas and oil capacities continue to increase in the United States, new capacity for resin production will increase, some of which will come on stream in 2016. “Therefore, we think the demand/supply balance for film should improve in the future,” Morgan said. “It all centers around the availability of new natural gas and oil feedstocks. The U.S. energy boom should result in continued benefits for users of film.” He added that overall business at Vonco Products has been good as of late, with an uptick on orders. “We are a seasonal business. For example, our retail mop and broom packaging demand picks up significantly in the spring,” Morgan said. “Overall, when it comes to film, I think there will continue to be some price spikes and movement, but the long-term prognosis for consumers is good. This is due to additional production capacities, hopefully resulting in price stability.” Venture Plastics, Inc., (www.ventureplastics.com) provides custom injection molding services, with plants in Newton Falls, OH, (headquarters) and El Paso TX. The company has over 200 employees and maintains warehouse and distribution facilities in McAllen, TX, and San Diego, CA. The privately held company started in 1969. In 2011, through acquisition, Venture Plastics added capabilities within the brush segment PG 42

Tim Morgan

Daryl Wene

to its core competencies. This now involves both custom and proprietary products for OEMs and distributors. While the brush market currently served is primarily focused on floorcare, the company has begun moving into other segments as well, according to Venture Plastics Brush Products Sales & Marketing Manager Daryl Wene. The brush-related raw materials of which Wene reported on were horsehair and various types of plastic resins. “On the tufting side, we find that horsehair sourcing is currently experiencing longer than normal lead times. We believe this is due to increased demand and restrictive supply,” Wene said. “Obviously, with horsehair, there is going to be limited supply. The product can only be grown so fast. Therefore, we have to watch our horsehair commitments. There are horsehair sources found in North America and China. “Horsehair is one of the finest bristle materials for vacuum cleaner brushes. It’s very gentle on furniture and other finished items that people don’t want to be scratched. Horsehair is also considered ‘green,’ which can add value to the end product.” The supply and cost of plastic resins, meanwhile, have remained fairly stable over the past 12 to 18 months, according to Wene. He said this is largely due to stabilization in the production of these materials and a stable oil import market. “The primary tufting and bristling materials we are involved with are horsehair, nylon and a variety of plastic filaments,” Wene said. “On the injection molding side, Venture manages over 300 SKUs of resin and colorant. This includes commodity-grade resins, such as polypropylene and polyethylene, as well as engineered resins. The latter group includes polycarbonates that can be alloyed with different materials such as ABS. “In our brush-related business segment, which is centered on floorcare, the plastic resins that we are primarily involved with are polypropylene, polyethylene, ABS and PVC.” He added that since the floorcare industry can be very “price driven,” it’s important that officials at Venture Plastics offer products that provide high performance, while they also keep a close eye on raw material costs. “Overall, most of our raw material costs have been stable as of late,” Wene said. “Business is good, and there are indicators in place showing that this trend should continue for some time. We are looking at ways to alleviate future capacity concerns to help establish more growth. “The challenge for our company moving forward is to find new market segments to enter. We are also working to better understand the long-range product needs of our customers. This helps us provide the right amount of material to help offset possible shortages or restrictive capacities in the supply chain.” Venture Plastics is TS- and ISO-certified, and is currently involved with other market segments, as well, such as automotive, rail, consumer, construction, solar, power back-up, and food equipment. BBM MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2015